Hollow Souls
by Whispering Soul of the Moon
Summary: She had the life she always dreamed of having, but it was completely destroyed by the person she'd never thought would betray her. Can her heart be saved by a man who has committed his life to protecting the law? Even when she despises the authorities?
1. Simple Beginning

_A/N:_ Hello readers, this is the start of a new installment that I hope you all enjoy. This request and idea came from my best friend, Tears Of Us All. It took some time to plan out -there were setbacks, changes and new ideas- but let's see where our new journey takes us with this story, shall we? I also would like to wish my Little Sis a Happy Birthday and hope that you have a special day. And just for the holiday season, I am adding the first two chapters to start off.

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

_Summary:_ She had the life she always dreamed of having, but it was completely destroyed by the person she never thought would betray her. Now, because of this tragedy, she despises anyone carrying a badge of authority. Can her heart be saved by a man who has committed himself to protecting the law?

* * *

_Chapter 1_**  
**

Rain; cascading down against the windows of a gray, two-door car. The roads were empty...not much of a surprise there. Anyone who saw this car now -at the time of _3:54_ _a.m._- would think this person was out of his mind driving at this hour.

Or should I say _her _mind.

Yes, the driver was a woman; a very _depressing _woman. Her name...Anzu Mazaki.

There was a reason why she was taking this car ride to who knows where. A reason to why she was depressed. She felt lost; broken. Nothing mattered to her anymore.

Because the life she'd thought was hers...was nothing but a _lie._ She had been living in a fantasy world and woken up by reality smacking her in the face. No...that was an understatement. This pain she felt was much _worse _than a slap to the face. That was a terrible example to use. To put it more simply, the pain was like someone slicing her brutally with a machete. Her heart was sliced into pieces from the recent events that took place.

After finding out that horrible truth, she just did not feel the need to live anymore. For what reason? Her most precious gift -that was brought into her life- was gone. Anzu's will to live was shattered at that moment.

She could care less if something happened to her right now as she was driving. The roads were slippery and wet from the heavy downpour. Who's to say that this could be her last minutes on Earth? She was robbed anyway. What more could she lose?

Anzu felt the last of her tears leaving her eyes. It was all she's been doing since the day her life changed forever. She did not have the strength to cry anymore; she was emotionally exhausted. However, it still didn't stop her from reliving the moments of that day. She remembered everything; as if it was a horror movie. Except this horror was real, and it was the most heart wrenching thing she has ever experienced.

Everything replayed again.

* * *

_May 16, one month ago_

It was in the middle of the spring season. There had been many days of non-stop rain, but today marked a bright day for wonderful, sunny weather. The morning was still early -_6:30 a.m._ to be exact- so, there were many people, in their homes, still fast asleep in their beds. And who wouldn't be? The day felt incredibly calm, quiet and relaxing. It was the perfect time to catch maybe a few more minutes of sleep. Only one person did not agree.

Twenty-six year old Anzu, was the first to awaken from her long night of slumber. Smiling and feeling rejuvenated as she wondered how her day would progress. She loved mornings like this; catching the first rays of the sun that beamed in through the curtains as if watching an enchanting light show.

She was currently in her kitchen making breakfast while humming a tune that she sung for a special person in her life. Anzu's smile grew even wider as she heard those familiar footsteps coming inside.

"Ohayou, Mama!"

Anzu turned away from the stove just in time to catch her nine year old son into a loving hug. It was the same, exact ritual every morning when she woke up. Something that she never grew tired from.

Her most pride and joy, Syia Kobayashi, was born on the first day of winter. A day that Anzu treasured the most. Born of chestnut brown hair and raven colored eyes, Syia is her first and only child. Since he came into her life, he has always been the light of her moments. From the time he has spoke his first word to when he drew the most remarkable picture that he gave to her on Mother's Day.

The years have passed since then and Syia was now in fourth grade. He had joined a little league baseball team at his school, marking him as the Most Valuable Player. The sport has always been an interest to him since his first game of catch. So, when the day came of him asking Anzu if he could try out, she couldn't say no to his excitement.

She gave a giggle as she ruffled Syia's hair, earning of laugh of his own when he tried to break away from her tickles. "Ohayou, sweetie. Did you have a nice sleep? Any dreams of your team winning the next big game?" she asked.

Syia laughed as he helped Anzu to set the table for breakfast. "Mom, I don't have to _dream_ about it. I know we're going to win. The Dragons are going to blast those Tigers to oblivion today. Just you wait," Syia replied with such strong confidence.

"Now, I don't know if I should let my son become involved with the powers of oblivion," Anzu said while she playfully took a hold of Syia and brought him into another tickle war, happily hearing his innocent laughter filling the room. "I will not let those strong clutches take a hold my baby! Not before he had his breakfast!" she replied in a playful, dramatic voice.

"M-mama!" Syia called out between laughs. "Okay, okay! I promise to have my breakfast first!" Both he and Anzu let out a few more giggles, before settling down and calming themselves. This was one of their favorite times together in the mornings. Bringing laughter to a whole new day and preparing to how their schedules would plan out. Sometimes, it wasn't always the greatest after a long day, but it was still great having each other to talk to.

Syia sat at the table when he finished placing the last plate down. He looked up to his mother, watching as she was preparing three servings. Looking at the third seat, Syia suddenly went into deep thought. "Hey Mom, do you think Dad will be able to come to my game today?" he asked quietly.

Stopping what she was doing for a moment, Anzu fixed her gaze over to her son. This wasn't the first time she has heard this question from Syia. Anzu's husband, Ronin Kobayashi, is an officer for the Domino City Police Department. There were times that Ronin wasn't able to attend Syia's games because of a big case that needed to be solved or because he was so swamped with work, that he sometimes came home late.

Anzu didn't know what to say to her precious son. She wished there was a way for her to give him a reassuring answer to what his father's plans were far as his job, but sometimes, it just could not be helped. Which was why she made time to be at the games, even if Ronin could not be there with her.

It wasn't always like this, however. Ever since her high school days, Anzu knew of Ronin's passion for the force. When he joined the police academy, he showed nothing but incredible experience and high achievements. It wasn't until the day that he burst through their home, that Ronin told her the good news. He was just so happy, that he wanted to propose to Anzu on the same day.

Now, things were completely different; changed. It's not that Anzu _wasn't_ proud of her husband. Not in the least. It was just Ronin was _too _caught up into his cases to even have time for his family. Once a case was closed, another one was open and needed to be solved. Anzu knew of the importance of helping people, but she wished there was one day that Ronin could take off and spend time with Syia.

Shaking off her thoughts, Anzu smiled to Syia as she served his plate. She was about to answer him, when Ronin came into the kitchen. He was dressed casually, talking on his cell phone with the chief of police. His raven hair contrasted with the color of his hazel eyes. Ronin looked so focused on his phone call, that he barely noticed Anzu or Syia in the kitchen. Once he finished up his call, Ronin went to brew himself a cup of coffee.

"You're up early," Anzu said, grabbing his attention. "I'm guessing from the phone call, the chief wants you to come in now?"

"You've guessed right," Ronin responded, putting down his coffee mug. "There's a new lead on this murder case and the boss wants me to question a few more suspects. The earlier I arrive, the better."

Syia could tell where this was going. Whenever his father had to leave for work early, he always came home after his bedtime. Making it impossible to have even a minute for a normal conversation. Still, it did not stop him from hoping that his father will make it for his big day.

"Dad...will you be able to come to my game later?" he asked. Anzu stood quietly and glanced at Ronin, wondering and silently hoping that he would not say anything to disappoint his son.

Ronin reached over and ruffled Syia's hair. "I'll have to see, son. I can't give you a guarantee, but I will do my best to make it to your game." Looking down at his watch, he gulped down the last of his coffee and shot up from his chair.

As he was preparing to leave, however, he did not see the disappointed, fallen look on Syia's face. Anzu was able to see it. And as his mother, she did not like seeing this expression for any reason.

When Ronin was just about to kiss her, she placed her hand against his chest to stop him. "Couldn't you just have someone else fill in for you? This is an important day for Syia and it would mean so much to see you watching him play today," she explained.

"Look, you know I can't just back out on this case. _This _is more important. I said that I'll try to make it to the game, if I can. Now I have to run." Giving Anzu a quick kiss to the cheek, Ronin grabbed both his keys and badge and left the house. The slamming door caused an erupt silence for just a moment. Anzu stood in her spot, not once or even bothering to move. It was hard having Ronin putting his job before his family.

And it was even _harder _watching Syia's sadness over and over again whenever Ronin does this to him. His smile disappears like the sun being blocked by a gray cloud on a rainy day. How could Ronin not see how many times he breaks Syia's heart with all of these disappointments?

Brushing it aside, Anzu placed on a smile in hopes of getting her son to do the same. Deeply, she was just as down about this as he was, but it was important to get Syia's spirit back to normal. "We should get you ready for school. It's almost time and you don't want to be late," she said.

Sighing and finishing up the rest of his breakfast, Syia did was he was told. He wasn't up to going to school anymore and was tempted to ask Anzu if he could stay home. But thinking about his team and the game, he knew that he couldn't let his friends down. Though, it still put a damper into the thought of his father, possibly, not showing up to see him. And after what he said, that his case was more important than the game...it hurt Syia badly. It made him wonder if his father even _cared _about him.

Syia wouldn't inform his mother of such thoughts. He knew that if he mentioned this to her, she would become very upset. That is the last thing Syia wanted to see; his mother's tears. So, he just left the subject alone and went to his room to dress for school.

Unbeknown to him, Anzu could already tell that those were his thoughts judging by the look on is face. How could she not know? She was his mother. And as his mother, it was her job to understand his feelings. Which is why she did everything she could to protect Syia, even from his own father.

* * *

The car ride to school was silent; but a normal, comfortable silence. Anzu would occasionally sneak a few peeks to Syia and see how he was holding up. She smiled sadly. Just the look on his face was enough to make her wish that she could make this better. Of course, she would support her son, but it was only so much that she could do. Syia needed his father and because of Ronin being a workaholic, he does not realize it.

"Mom? We're here."

So deep within her thoughts, Anzu didn't notice that she pulled up in front of the school. She also noticed how her grip upon the steering wheel was tightening up. She couldn't let her little boy see her this tense. She was suppose to be cheering him up, especially now.

She smiled and unbuckled her seat belt, giving out a small laugh after realizing her little delay in the car. "Yes, it seems that we _are_ here. Do you want me to walk you inside?" she asked as they both exited the vehicle.

Syia shook his head, closing car door shut when Anzu came around to his side. "No, it's okay, Mom. I am meeting my friends by the tree." He pointed over to the large tree near the front entrance of the school. It was where Anzu would always find him when she picked him up in the afternoons.

"Alright then, I will see you this afternoon." She stooped down to give Syia a hug while placing a kiss to his brow. "You have a great day at school, okay?"

"Yeah..." he replied in a low tone.

Before he could walk off, Anzu pulled Syia back into one more hug. If she could, she would let her son stay home from school just for today. She knew that it wasn't the case. When it came to baseball games, Syia was not going to let down any of his friends. She was proud of the kind of boy he was. So loyal, always willing to help anyone and he had one of the biggest, loving hearts in the world.

Anzu rubbed Syia's back soothingly, like she did whenever he was ill or upset about anything. It was a gesture that would always calm her son. "Hey you, what's that rule we have?" she asked.

Taking a minute to think, Syia pondered to which rule his mother was referring to. He knew there were many important ones, but what was the one that she wanted him to remember now? "Uh...always use a cup to drink, never the carton?"

"Well, yes that _is_ one of our rules," Anzu giggled. "But, I was talking about another one. Whenever we're gone away for a while..."

"...We always leave each other with a smile," Syia finished.

"That's right..." Anzu frowned a little, still feeling concerned about Syia. "I don't want you going all day in school like this, okay? So, I want to see a big smile from you. Come on, let me see." It took a little effort, but Syia managed to give Anzu a smile that she loves. And that was more than enough to tell that he will be all right. "That's my boy. I'll be here on time -after school- for your game. I love you, sweetie," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Love you too, Mama." Making sure the he had all of his belongings, Anzu watched Syia run off to meet his friends, who were now waiting for him by their usual spot. Giving a final wave was all Anzu needed to know that it was fine to leave. Though, when she got back inside the car, she waited for a few extra minutes. She was debating on whether to call her husband down at the station. She needed to get a clear answer out of him to wonder if he will arrive for Syia later.

Reaching into her purse, Anzu pulled out her phone. What she did not expect to hear on the other end, when she called Ronin's cell, was the voice mail message that he recorded. Meaning that he turned off his phone for some apparent reason.

Which was strange...seeing as Ronin was always answering his phone. So, she tried calling the station instead. Maybe there was an explanation as to why Ronin was not picking up.

Not thinking too much into it, Anzu just went ahead and left a brief message for Ronin to return her call. Perhaps, he was dealing with the big case that he had to leave out early this morning for and could not be disturbed.

Looking at the time, Anzu figured that it would be best to head to her job at the bookstore. Today marked the new releases of several novels that were ordered in. Which meant lots of customers and lots of sales. Fortunately for Anzu, this was what made her job much more fun. It was always interesting meeting new people and talking with the smaller children about their predictions of what will happen in the next series. It reminded her of Syia and his excitement over anything the his eyes were set on.

So, hopefully her day and Syia's would progress into a positive mode. With that wish in mind, Anzu marked her next destination to the bookstore.

* * *

"Thank you, come again soon."

It wasn't long before Anzu entered inside that she saw a long line of anxious, chattering customers waiting to pay for their chosen books. Her twenty-four year old co-worker and friend, Miyuki, was doing her best to handle as many as she could. Looking up when the door opened, she breathed a sigh of immense relief at the sight of Anzu. She couldn't help but laugh at Miyuki's playful glare pointing straight at her.

"You better have a good explanation as to the reason you are now..." Quickly glancing at her watch to check the time, "Three hours late!" she screeched.

Anzu laughed, knowing that Miyuki was only joking around. "Oh, don't be such a big, fuss face. I didn't forget the biggest and most busiest day today. It's only a few minutes, I had to take Syia to school," she replied as she placed her things in the back and coming out with her work apron. "Besides, with your incredible speed, you can handle two packs of customers this size."

"Well...I can't argue with _that_," Miyuki said, giving out a small giggle. But when she glanced back at the loads of people waiting or joining this long line, she shook her head in a frantic panic and turned to her friend. "Come on, Anzu-chan, you _know _that I'm not able to handle this by myself. I'm not _THAT _amazing! I _NEED _your assistance! Please, please, please!"

Anzu just sighed and opened the other register next to Miyuki's. She was trying to keep a straight face, but the urge the laugh was becoming very strong for her. Every time the store became this busy, she and Miyuki would always have fun teasing each other when either one came in first to open.

"Oh, alright...if you _really _need my help." When Miyuki nodded her head desperately, that was all it took to make Anzu laugh, mixing it in with Miyuki's laughter. Looking over to the customers, Anzu gestured for the next few to come around to her register.

It was just as how Anzu had expected; she met new faces, some familiar ones and others who were just buying copies for their children who could not leave school. Though, it was extremely busy, it did not bother her in the least. It was exciting and enjoyable, seeing so many satisfying customers leaving with smiles and making promises of coming back again.

It took some time; close to two hours, but Anzu and Miyuki were able to handle every person waiting in line. There were still a few left that have yet to pick out anything. Some were browsing through the titles while others scanned through the stationary section for either their offices at home, at work or just for their personal journals or diaries.

Taking a small break from the morning rush of energetic customers, Miyuki gave a little stretch and took a sip of soda that she got from the vending machine. She glanced over to Anzu, who was moving a few boxes that were yet to be opened. She also heard some shuffling coming from the back, where a head was peeking out from behind the door.

"Is it safe to come out?"

Miyuki gave a glare, crushed her soda can, throwing it and smirking in satisfaction of hearing a painful groan. "_Now _it's safe to come out, you baka!"

"Damn it, woman, you are going to be the death of me!" Coming out the door, was a tall, hazel eyed and ebony haired figure, rubbing the spot on his head where the can made a successful impact.

"Oh, shut it, Toshiro. You could have at least helped out with the morning customers, you lazy bum," Miyuki turned away from him and folded her arms.

"Well, knowing that I have two spectacular sale clerks, there wasn't really much for me to do, right? I'd just be in the way," he said, giving a goofy grin.

Miyuki growled, feeling irritated by that comment. "Honestly, I don't know _how _you're in charge of this place. You need to fire yourself."

"But then.." Toshiro placed an arm around her shoulders, flashing her a flirtatious smile and throwing a wink into the mix. "You would miss me like crazy, if I should ever leave. Plus, who's going to bring about that cute, little blush that you get every time I'd compliment on how gorgeous you are?" he chuckled when the said blush came upon her face.

Anzu couldn't help but giggle at this lovely scene. It was always like this, everyday, with those two. Toshiro and Miyuki were not a couple..._per se_, but the signs were completely clear to determine a love connection between the two. The only thing stopping that was Miyuki's stubborn side. She just would not admit that she has feelings for the guy, but it was only a matter of time before she could not resist any longer.

Miyuki rolled her eyes, but the faint blush was still present. "Ugh, you're impossible," she said, but made no attempt to push Toshiro away from her.

It was going to be an interesting, yet ordinary day. Anzu could feel it. Although, she had a feeling that something would spoil it. If not now, then at another time point. Question was, why did she suddenly get this horrible feeling? She just hoped that her hunch was wrong.

* * *

It was a long, productive day. But like all days, it has came to an end. Once Anzu left the bookstore after saying goodbye to her co-workers, she immediately drove to Syia's school to watch his game. She was incredibly proud by the way he was playing. Even when he was sitting on the benches, he encouraged his teammates to play their best.

During the day, she has been trying to reach Ronin, but was unsuccessful. And calling the station confirmed that he was busy. She was both disappointed and angry. He never thought once today to even pick up a phone and confirm anything. But the worst part of it...she had to explain to Syia why his father did not arrive. It was no surprise to her when she saw his smile deflate completely.

However, when she was looking at how focused Syia was into his game, you wouldn't think the news had any affect on him. Or even if it did, he allowed himself to put his concentration to winning the game, instead of his father's broken promise.

As she was driving home, it was all they were talking about. How he made his first home-run, how many hits he made in the game and the tremendous victory of his team. Anzu loved seeing his face light up whenever he mentioned every game play that happened. What she was mainly trying to do, was keep him focused on any topic that she could think of...to keep from mentioning Ronin and his failure to appear today.

_When had this all changed? _she wondered. From the years that she has spent with Ronin, she'd never remembered him being so distant away from his family. Why now? It was as if the only thing he cared about was his job. Not that it was a bad thing, but was it right for him to push her and Syia aside because of it?

Home was only a few inches away and Anzu let out of brief sigh of relief when the car stopped in the driveway. Oh, how it would be nice to just wash her daily worries away. But as she took in the sight of Syia's face, how could she not worry? He was her pride and joy. The whole reason that she is able to wake up everyday.

Anzu smiled as she reached over and ruffled Syia's hair. "Hey, how about I cook up your favorite dinner?"

"You mean your special curry recipe?" Syia's stomach growled just thinking about the exquisite dish that his mother always made, "Do you think I could help you, Mom?" he eagerly asked as he and Anzu exited the car, making their way inside.

"I don't see why not," She then pulled him into a playful headlock, which brought out a bucket full of laughs from Syia as he tried to escape, "But first, _you _need to get a bath. You're incredibly filthy from all of that running and sliding in the dirt. So, I want you out of that uniform so that I can get it cleaned and you in the sudsy water so that _you _can get cleaned."

Syia obediently nodded, "Yes, Mom." He rushed in, placing down his backpack and his sports bag to head upstairs.

Anzu followed in after, discarding her jacket and putter her keys aside. As she began to walk further inside, she heard a distinct voice coming from the living area. She could tell that it was Ronin, but he sounded as if he was keeping his voice discreet...in case someone would have walked in on what he was talking about.

When he _did _notice her standing by the door, he quickly told the caller that he would be in contact later. Hanging up the phone like it was just another casual caller.

"You're home early...?" she asked, noticing piles of folders spread out around the coffee table

"Yeah," he said, clicking away at his laptop. "I thought I'd come here to get some work done. Can't exactly concentrate with all of the rowdy new inmates coming in."

"Then, how long have you've been home?"

"Uh...since noon, if I recall correctly."

Anzu thought his answer was particularly strange. Something about his story wasn't adding up, she could feel it. Though, she did her best to give Ronin the benefit of the doubt. Maybe there was something else that he did not explain to her as of yet. "Oh...well, I have been trying to reach you all day. You could have called me to let me know that you were here," she answered in a bitter tone.

Ronin turned from his paperwork, raising a brow at Anzu's response, "Well...you know now, so what's the problem? I didn't think I had to report my every move to you."

"The problem _is _that our son was expecting you to show up for his game, Ronin!" Anzu snapped, "Do you know how disappointed he was when I could not get a hold of you? Do you think I _love _telling him that his father has, yet again, put his feelings aside for something else that suddenly popped up?"

"Anzu, that's just the way things work. It is about time Syia learns it, too."

"So, when will it end? When are you _finally_ going to put your son before your job? Was it going hurt you that much to take a couple hours of your time to spend with Syia?"

Slamming the laptop closed, Ronin raised up from his seat to confront Anzu. "You listen to me. With all of these insane cases, do you really think for one _minute _that I have time to goof off? My schedule is like a fucking tornado and you're lecturing to me on when I have to attend some little baseball game!" he shouted.

"Don't even use that excuse with me, Ronin!" Anzu shouted back. "I don't ask much from you! Just one day to spend with your family. To know that we still matter to you."

"Wow, if I'd knew that I was coming home to an argument, I would have just stayed at the station." He began to pack up his materials and grab his jacket. Ronin threw a glare her way, seeing Anzu making one even fiercer than his. "Don't wait up, I'm pulling an all-nighter tonight. I expect you to be more calmer and level headed by the time I get home in the morning."

"You just don't get it, do you?" Anzu whispered in frustration. "Nothing I'm saying is getting through to you. So, you know what? Just go, if you feel it is best for _you_, Ronin. I will just explain to our son, _again_, why his father had to leave."

And since no more words were exchanged between the two, the next sound heard was the door being slammed loudly. So loud, that vibrations traveled to the walls making the pictures, shelves and other porcelain items shake in their places.

Silence was all that erupted the room as Anzu kept her gaze pointed at the door. She had so much built up anger directed to the man who had just decided to up and leave so suddenly. Of all the inconsiderate things he could have done...it was enough to make Anzu throw something fragile against the wall. However, she did not want to alarm Syia and make him wonder what was happening between his mother and father.

But when she heard light footsteps coming into the room, followed by the saddest expression she'd ever seen, it just couldn't be helped.

She smiled, pretending that everything was all right for Syia's sake. It was all she could do, right? Her son was her major concern now. The discussion with Ronin will just have to wait for another time. "Hey there, I thought you were taking a bath."

"Dad hates me...doesn't he?"

Anzu felt her heart stop and skip a few beats. Did she just hear him correctly? Hate? Why would Syia ask her something as that? But, of course he would ask something like that. How could he _not_ ask when his own father looks upon him as if he was invisible? Syia is a smart kid. And as much as Anzu keeps him protected from certain situations, Syia was able to read between the lines.

The tears were beginning to rise, but she did her hardest to keep them from flowing over. Instead, she just gave him an embrace that a mother would shower for her child. An embrace full of comfort, security, reassurance and love.

"That's not true, Syia...your father doesn't hate you," she answered. But was she trying to convince Syia of that...or herself? Did Ronin even care, _at all_, about their feelings?

"It's not like it matters or anything," he muttered. "Sometimes, I just wish he were more like others dads. But, as long as I have you, Mom...I don't need a dad."

And after hearing that, Anzu hugged Syia a little tighter, but not too tight. She also allowed the tears she was holding back, to fall freely down her cheeks. Syia should not have to say anything such as this. She wished that she could do more to make things better for him. And she was not satisfied, until he was happy. But, as long as they had each other, they would be. Everything will be okay, she promised herself.

...Right?

**XxX**


	2. Tragic End

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

_Chapter 2_

A week has passed and it seemed that things appeared to be normal.

Or so Anzu had thought.

The morning after Ronin returned home from the station, Anzu could sense this weird vibe with him. To put it simply, he pretended like nothing happened the night before. He was too cheery. Not that it was anything weird about being cheery...but this was _Ronin. _His whole mood was based around the amount of cases the he dealt with. And his mood was never pleasant at times. So, what could have made him so full of energy, when they had a discontinued conversation? The whole point to why he left in the first place.

Or...maybe he _did _think about what she told him and decided to do a little changing. For the sake of their family. So, she took no mind to the amazing...and yet _strange _behavior.

Right now, she was accompanied by Miyuki in her kitchen after coming in from a trip at the grocery store. Anzu was getting supplies for tonight's dinner, while Miyuki was planning something for which she refused to tell Anzu. But from the little redness she found on her face, Anzu smiled -already knowing the answer to Miyuki's little secret. Which had something to do with their ebony-haired boss/knuckle-headed friend.

"Do you think this will be good, too?" Miyuki asked, holding up a bag of turnips.

Anzu just giggled and shook her head. With also keeping her company with the shopping, Miyuki needed some culinary tips on what would be the best dish for her dinner. "Miyuki-chan, you did not have to buy those. Don't worry, we have enough ingredients for the idea I have for your _date_ with Toshiro," she said with a playful smirk.

"It's NOT a date!" Miyuki screamed accidentally, blushing in embarrassment and coughing from the awkward way she had just yelled that out.

"Okay...a _romantic _get-together then."

"Oh, please," She crossed her arms and turned the other way, but the tint of pink was still shown across her cheeks. "I only agreed to this because Toshiro was never going to stop bugging me."

"Whatever you say, Miyuki-chan...but it would be much easier if you could just admit it to yourself that you're attracted to him." Anzu giggled again when she heard a distinct groan and a mumble coming from her friend.

She glanced up at the clock that hung up on the wall; _5:48 p.m. _Ronin had called her earlier from work saying that he was planning to pick up Syia from school this afternoon, since she had to do the shopping today. They should have walked in through the door before she came back home, but then realized that maybe Ronin wanted to spend a little time with their son. It was just...she was worried for some reason. She couldn't put her finger on it. Her instincts were telling her to be aware of something dreadful.

When the back door was opened, Anzu felt that wave beginning to disappear. But only for a short second, after finding out the person who came inside was neither her son nor husband, but Toshiro instead. She glanced at the clock again..._5:52 p.m. _Surely, Ronin would have called to say if he was taking Syia for father/son time, right? To keep her from worrying...right?

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," Miyuki said, with all signs of her blush vanishing away.

"Miyuki, my dear," his hands took hold of both hers. "It is so good to see you. Oh, how my heart has missed the sweet sounds of your beautiful voice."

She just gave him a blank stare. "It was only an hour, you baka."

"Which is FAR too long to be away from you!" he replied in such a dramatic voice that could have him nominated for an award for outstanding performance. "It is just...when you've finally agreed to have dinner with me, I could not -for the life of me- stop thinking about you. I promise that I will not make you regret this." Bringing one of her hands up, Toshiro placed a gentle kiss upon it.

Feeling her face begin to flush like earlier, Miyuki quickly snapped out of her hazy thoughts before it was noticed. _Goodness, how does he do that?_

She then noticed that there wasn't any background giggling coming from her friend. In fact, she was completely quiet. Putting all of her attention to the clock and the door. What was going through her mind, she wondered? "Anzu-chan, are you okay?"

Anzu wasn't sure on how to answer the question. Physically, she was fine. But...part of her was going into a state of panic. She didn't like this. Everything was going normal a few moments ago, and now...? Now, it was the same as being surrounded by her worst fears put together.

"Toshiro," She turned to her friends, catching them both staring at her with concerned faces. "Did you happen to see Ronin and Syia when you came in?" she asked, hoping that he gave her a reassuring answer that he _did _see them.

"He's not here? I wasn't actually planning to run into him. That's why I came through the back way. Sorry to say this, Anzu, but sometimes that guy can be a total ass. Now Syia? Awesome kid. If I haven't said it to you before, he takes after you more than he does his father."

Hearing that comment from Toshiro about Syia made her smile. Whenever she and Syia were together, people would always say that he was more like or looked like her.

But, going back to the issue at hand. Though Anzu knew that Toshiro and Ronin didn't get along, she was hoping that they did cross paths with each other. Turning to the clock again..._5:58 p.m. _Just where exactly was her husband and son? Why was she worrying like this?

It was then the phone decided to ring. Okay, so maybe she _was _overreacting. This could be Ronin, right now, telling her that he and Syia were on their way home. Everything was just fine. Her son would run inside and give her his famous, lovable hugs that she adored so much. She would be greeted by her husband. They would all sit down together to a delicious dinner as they told each other of how their day went.

Yes...that was just how she imagined it.

Unfortunately...that vision was NOT her reality.

When she answered the phone..."Moshi-moshi." The next words on the other end...caused her eyes to widened in fear, her breathing coming out in shallow patterns, her heart racing faster than a person running a four-hundred kilometer marathon and her entire body becoming so numb that she wasn't able to keep her balance anymore. She was weak in the knees, collapsing down to the floor without her knowledge. Her voice lost the ability to speak, she could hear her name being called both ways...from her friends and from the person on the phone.

But she could not hear anything...she could not think about anything...she could not even _understand _anything. Why did this happen?

All she knew _now_...was that the time displayed_ 6:00 p.m._ It was the exact time to which her life has been flipped and permanently changed _forever. _

_

* * *

_

Nothing could compare to the whirlwind of feelings and pain that has been thrown at Anzu at this very moment. After receiving that phone call, it took her close to ten minutes before Miyuki and Toshiro could get her to tell them what happened. She refused to say it. In fear of believing that _if_ she said it, that it would be true. She hoped it was some sort of nightmare. Something she could easily awaken from.

But no matter how much she wished it was, it just wasn't possible for it to come true.

Anzu was able to snap out of her trance, turning to Toshiro and asking for a ride to Syia's school and also explaining the information that was given to her on the way. Both Miyuki and Toshiro were just as upset.

They drove there as fast as possible, but it felt like the closer they got, the farther it was for them to reach there in time. Anzu could not sit still. Her body has yet to calm itself from the uncontrollable shaking fits. All of her fears put together could not compare to this. _This _was her most intense fear.

It was close...she could feel it. The strong feeling of despair, worry...knowing that she was about to head to the horrible truth.

After turning the last corner, it was all Anzu could do to _not _jump out of the car and race away. There were many police cruisers sitting in the middle of the street. An ambulance was along the side and about thirty to forty people were surrounding the area, all watching and wanting to know from others on what had occurred here.

Anzu hurried out of the vehicle and started racing to where the crowd was gathering. Her head was filled with so many thoughts clouding and swirling around, but only one thought was clear. And it was for it to _not _be what she feared.

She could hear muffled voices. From the crowd, no doubt, on what they'd learned or what they'd guess from the mixed rumors going around. She didn't care about these people. They were just standing there speaking gossip and going back to tell their neighbors who spent their time looking through the damn blinds all day.

There also appeared to be an arrest taking place. Some man seemed to be talking gibberish as an officer was taking him off to jail. Apparently, from his stature, he must have been driving under the influence...and also the cause of what had happened here. Right now, _he _was not Anzu's concern either. She was only focused on one person.

And when she caught a glimpse of him, she didn't think she could feel any more worse than she was now.

Laying there in the street...was her precious treasure; her irreplaceable gift from the heavens...looking completely bloody and pale...broken...motionless.

If she wasn't running in a fast a pace before, then she was definitely rushing now. She needed to get to her child; her _baby_. She felt him calling out for his mother. But as soon as she was close enough to call out his name to wake up, Anzu was held back by an officer. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but you need to stay behind the line," he replied in a voice of authority.

Anzu would not hear of it. So, she struggled to escape from his grasp. "Onegai! Please, let me go! That's my son!" she screamed. It was as if the crowd went into a dead silence. No sounds were made or heard as Anzu finally broke away from the officer over to Syia. Toshiro and Miyuki were behind her, but they stayed back. Which she was thankful, for the moment. She watched as the EMTs were working on him, trying to revive him from his unconscious state.

They allowed Anzu to sit and stay, knowing of her relation to Syia. But she would have stayed anyway, even if they told her she couldn't. Anzu did not need to ask what happened, she already knew. From how the car was crashed against light pole and the position Syia was laying, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Syia was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He wasn't even _SUPPOSE _to be here at this time. Why was he all alone?

"Syia...honey, it's Mommy," she tried calling out to him, hoping that he'd hear her voice. "It's okay, you are going to be just fine. You'll see..."

Just when she said that, Syia's eyes began to twitch and slowly open. It took him all of the energy he had just to look at her. Anzu was relieved in seeing him responding. She took that as a good sign.

"M..mama," he struggled to call out. "I'm...s..sor..ry."

"Shh...don't try to talk, okay? And hey, what are you sorry for, huh? You didn't do anything wrong. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I would have came here much, much sooner if I'd known you were here by yourself," Anzu replied, feeling the tears beginning to escape from her eyes.

"I...was tr...ying to walk home. Dad was...taking too long...to come..."

_So, that's why this happened_. Anzu felt immense rage building to the surface. Ronin was not here to pick up Syia like he'd promised. And even _now, _he still has not shown up. She would deal with him later. But right now, her son came before anyone or anything else. Anzu was not going to leave his side until she was sure he would be all right.

"I wanted...to hurry home. Because...I had...s..something cool...to show you, Mom. I looked...both ways...honest, I did," Syia began to cough and wheeze a bit. Anzu wanted him to save his strength, but he insisted on finishing. "The car...was suppose to stop, Mom."

"Sweetie, it's okay now. Don't you worry, you can show me anything you want as soon as you get better," she said. Her tears continued to come out, she could not stop crying. She wanted to show Syia that he was safe.

"But Mom...I have to show you...now." In his weak state, Syia was able to open his hand, where Anzu just realized it was closed in a fist. It was a blue ribbon; wrinkly and a little bloody, but it was a special award given to Syia. This is what he wanted to rush home for. "My coach...told me that I'm...top player on my team."

"I'm so proud of you, Syia. See? All of that practice really paid off, right?"

"Mhm..." Syia nodded, his eyes were beginning to close again. "But...I think...someone else from my team...will have to be top player now," he said in a whisper.

"Now don't you _dare _talk like that, do you understand me? You're going to be back to your old self in no time." Anzu couldn't hold her tears back anymore. She angrily turned to the EMTs. "Why aren't you taking him to the hospital? He _needs _to be there!"

A warm, but slightly cold hand reached over to grab hers. She looked back down to Syia, seeing him smiling back at her. "It's okay, Mom...I'm not scared. You've taught me...to always be brave...no matter what. You're...the best mom ever, thanks for everything." His eyes were now shut, but Syia was able to whisper his final words. "I...love you, Mom..." His hand with the rest of his body went limp.

He was dead.

Anzu could have sworn she heard the sound of her heart shattering. Because that is exactly what she felt it did inside her chest. Watching the life leave from her little boy's body was all it took for her to scream so loud to the city streets and into the skies above. Everyone sadly watched as Anzu grieved over the loss of Syia. Each and every person understanding the stricken fear of a mother losing her child.

She heard Miyuki calling out to her, also hearing her cries as well. For now, she just wanted to drown into her tears. To fade away from reality. Because nothing mattered in this world anymore, not without her son. She wanted this all to be a nightmare. She kept chanting to herself to wake up and believe that this was just some horrible dream. That her son was still alive and sleeping in his bedroom.

She refused to acknowledge anyone around her. All she did was hold on to Syia and rocking him back and forth. The same way she would rock him when he was a little baby. She wasn't ready to let go and whenever she was told there was nothing else possible that could be done, she just muttered for everyone to leave her be.

* * *

It was a tough two weeks for Anzu, but she was able to get by with the support of her friends, family and all those who have also adored Syia's lovable personality. His service was beautiful; each and every person saying something positive about him. The only person she has yet to see was Ronin. Surely, he knew what has happened with the loss of Syia.

When she left Syia's school that evening, Anzu asked Toshiro to drive her down to the police station. She wanted to confront her husband. Wanted to know what was so important that he didn't bother to be there for his son. No...she _stopped _calling Syia _his _son. After what happened, Ronin deserved no claim over Syia. Anzu was furious. She had so many emotions inside of her, she felt that she would explode if they were not let out. And she did not care _who _she lashed out at, but she wanted it to be Ronin.

The strange thing about it was...Ronin never arrived to work that day. He wasn't even _due _to come in to work. Going home proved to the same outcome. He was nowhere to be seen. As if he just up and disappeared without her knowledge. She would find him. Oh, she _will _find him. Wherever Ronin was, he had to come back sooner or later.

She was sitting in front of Syia's grave, talking with him and trying to feel if he was still apart of her. Although, she knew that he would always be with her. Still...she wished she could have many more years with him.

The sky was pitch black with signs of a storm just along the horizon. She was just about to head back, but another set of footsteps stopped her from leaving. She was then met with the person she had been waiting to confront; Ronin. Just watching him...Anzu didn't think she could harbor so much hate for this man. The same man who was suppose to be her soul mate, the man who was suppose to love her and care for her...care for their family. But she realize now, throughout the years, that man no longer existed.

"I was told that I'd find you here," he said. That's it? That was all he had to say after his two week disappearance? And from his expression, he was empty of emotion. Did he not feel an _ounce _of grief? Well, how could he? It wasn't as if he cared.

"Yes, your source was correct," her gaze hardened the longer she stared at him. "Though, I shouldn't be here. But, thanks to _you_, I am," she said, not bothering to hold back her bitter tone.

"I already knew what happened. So, I'd figured that giving you some time to collect yourself was the best solution," he said, walking closer to Syia's grave. He didn't get too far, however. Since Anzu blocked his path.

"Is that the story you're going with? Because frankly, I don't give a damn about any sorry excuse you have. The only thing I would love to hear from you...is the reason why you were not there to pick up our son that day. Tell me what was so important to you, that Syia's last resort was to walk home! Tell me, _EXACTLY_, where the hell you were when I came to find you at the police station!" Anzu screamed, but she didn't care who heard her or who she disturbed. It was time for Ronin to fess up.

"It doesn't matter," he muttered, turning away from Anzu.

"When it means having to bury my son, of course it matters!" Anzu walked over and pushed him angrily. "You weren't there to protect Syia! Because of your _tardiness_, my son is dead! This is _ALL YOUR FAULT_! And look at you. You can't even utter a tear or even feel ashamed or guilty from what you've caused! I'll never get to see him again! I won't get to see him grow up, hear his voice or watch him enjoy his life! All of that was taken away from him! All. Because. Of. YOU!"

When she screamed out her final word, thunder erupted the skies and Anzu fell to her knees, sobbing out the rest of her grief. She truly wished that something would allow her to vanish from the face of the planet. This was the absolute worst pain she has ever experienced. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think this would happen to her.

"Anzu, you and I both know that things between us haven't been great. So...I guess there isn't anything left to say. We know where we stand," Ronin replied, walking out of the cemetery going who knows where. She didn't care anymore. She _HATED _him. Let him leave. He never cared, she told herself.

The weeks were steadily flying by, but it just became worse for Anzu. She refused to eat, she could never rest properly and she knew coming to work was out of the question -even if she wanted to. None of this was healthy for her, she knew that. So, she decided that it was best to pack up and leave town. She realized that it was the only logical solution for getting any source of healing. But how would she be able to heal from this? She couldn't. When she explained this to Miyuki and Toshiro, they were sad knowing their friend planned to leave. But looking at her state of mind, they agreed that it was best for her.

Anzu was now saying her goodbyes to them. There were more tears than a rain cloud carrying a week's worth of water.

"You promise to take care of yourself, right? Because I'm not going to be able to, you know," Miyuki said, giving her a big hug. "Make sure that you get plenty of rest, eat three square meals a day, drink plenty of orange juice for Vitamin C...and just promise to keep in contact whenever you can, okay?"

"I promise," Anzu said, smiling and feeling herself tearing up again.

Toshiro came from behind the back, setting down a big box before giving a hug to her too. He then reached into his shirt pocket to pull out a brown envelope. "This is for you, it's your last paycheck. And also a bonus with it." When he watched her open it, she was completely shocked and speechless and she was about to protest, but he quickly stopped her. "It's yours, you deserve every penny. You've been putting in so many hours and we're really going to miss you working here. Well...we're going to miss you, _period_." He said, chuckling.

"Believe me, I'm going to miss you guys just as much. The next time we talk, I better hear wedding bells," she laughed a little when she found a blush coming from, not just Miyuki, but Toshiro, too. It wasn't long before Anzu embarked on her new destination, giving one more final wave to her friends and leaving everything she knew behind.

* * *

So, now here she was, driving non-stop, for five straight hours, in the ongoing rainstorm. Not bothering to stop unless it was really necessary for her to. How so much has changed within such a short time was beyond her. People would say that things happen in life for a reason. Sometimes it's for the better...or for the worst for it to _be _better again. Anzu wasn't sure if she should believe that saying. What would be better for her? She has just lost her most precious gift. Syia was her only purpose for waking up everyday.

Without him...she felt like a walking empty shell with the only source keeping her alive was pain. And even _that _was slowly eating her away.

But maybe this new town she was heading to would change things. Maybe forgetting about her past will help to remove her pain. But she let out a bitter laugh. Nothing would fill this empty void within her heart. _Nothing _and _no one _will understand this misery she is forced to carry.

She would try to live her life, but she would live it alone. She won't make the mistake of trusting anyone with a badge again. That was the whole point of her pain in the first place. Why her little boy was killed. Why her heart was shredded in pieces. If she ever saw Ronin again, it will be all too soon. Anzu could care less to wherever he was at the moment, but she vowed to keep her distance from him.

Lights started to come into her view. She was almost there. She had no idea of what to expect in this new town, but it was much better than staying where she was before. Her new life would begin.

In this town called Cape Happy.

* * *

_A/N:_ So, what are your thoughts about this story? Did you think it was good enough? Please give your feedback in your reviews and I will update more on this story very soon. Thank you for taking the time in reading the first two chapters. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Hopefully, you all are having a wonderful day. Until next time, this is Moon signing off.


	3. Two Souls Collide

_A/N:_ Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Here's the next chapter.

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

_Chapter 3_

Rapid footsteps were the only sounds existing within this quiet town. The sky was pitched black with hardly any source of light to be found. It was almost like wearing a blindfold that was stuck to your face. The corners were empty, the roads were clean and any part of the alleyways showed no sign of suspicious activity. But if you had night vision goggles, you could plainly tell of the disposed garbage within the cans holding a cat or two digging through for anything edible to feast on.

Yes, nothing seemed out of the ordinary...if you excluded the continuation of the thumping footsteps. Which indicated that someone was running rapidly from something chasing him. He was breathing heavily, but was determined to get away from another unknown person speeding up quickly. These two had been running for a good ten minutes. Neither of them planned on giving up until the other surrendered. The one who was chasing him refused to let up, which caused him to think up something quickly to throw off his trail.

He made a sharp turn into the alley, already knowing that the other guy would follow him. So, to slow him down, he pushed a trash can down in order to lose his attention. This also caused him to run faster while wearing a smug smirk, seeing as he succeeded in outrunning this dweeb. Did he honestly think he would be able to catch him? He was like a dare devil who was able to escape anything.

A fence came into the line of his view. He was home free. Just a few more inches and he would be gone like the speed of light. His bag was securely strapped over his shoulder and the fence was so close, he could almost touch it. How easy of a snag was this? He was able to outsmart everyone. And for his reward, a one way ticket to freedom. Anywhere he set his sights on.

Too bad that once he got close enough to the fence, did he realize that his fantasy for that desirable freedom would NOT be coming true. Standing right in front of his escape route was the guy he was working to get away from. He knew the jig was up when he noticed that victorious smirk, the way he was casually leaning against the fence and those crimson eyes that clearly stated that he had him in checkmate.

He stumbled and lost his footing causing him to fall backwards on his tailbone. How did this guy manage to get in front of him? He was _sure _that he had lost him. And yet, he could barely conjure up the question since his words were tripping out of his mouth.

"You weren't planning on jumping this fence, were you?" the guy asked. He just stood there, looking so confident and superior. And once he walked into the dim lit pavement, he could see more of his features. Including his tri-colored, spiky hair that looked as if lightning bolts would strike out from them. "I surely hope not because I need to have a word with you," he replied.

"Look...I didn't do nothin'!" He said, using that as his last resort to escape. But if that failed, then he had another tactic up his sleeve.

And before he could even give this guy the chance, he pulled out a gun and the sound of the shot rang through the air. However, with his poor eye-coordination and the shaking nerves from his arm, he failed to actually make the bullet hit his target. Not that he would have been able to, since the dude did the impossible and flipped backwards, missing the bullet. He lost concentration for only a second, but that was enough to get caught off guard when he was forcibly pushed against the cold, hard brick wall. "C'mon, man! Lay off!"

"I really hate having to go on the brutal side when someone refuses to cooperate."

He just scoffed, turning as much as he could to get a little glimpse of this guy. "And what are _you _goin' to do, huh? Call the cops? You got nothin' on me."

"Oh, but you see, that's where you're wrong. Why call the cops..." he reached inside his jacket pocket to pull out a policeman's badge, causing the criminal's eyes to wide in shock, "when you have one right here behind you? You really should _look _to see if the store is empty before you decide to hold up the place. Now, would you like me to escort you to the station or do you have anything else to say? Remember, you _do _have the right to remain silent."

And just as expected, he kept his lip shut, but that didn't mean he wouldn't shoot a very, deadly glare at this cop. He felt the bag strap being pulled away, meaning that his loot was officially in police custody. Just who was this guy? Never had he came in contact with a cop that was able to catch him. All of his moves were flawless. However, it was not enough to outsmart _him. _So, he just muttered out curses as he was being dragged away._  
_

* * *

Arriving to the station was no walk in the park for twenty-seven year old, Yami Mutou. After having the "fortunate" opportunity to bring in the criminal, he never felt relieved to have him processed and shipped into a jail cell. His main objective wasn't even to _catch _this guy, although he was glad to have been there. Yami just happened to be on his break, when suddenly the distinctive sounds of pleading rang through his ears. Without being noticed, Yami hid himself behind one of the shelves, only to witness a robber pointing a gun at the young sales clerk and threatening her to empty the register.

It wasn't long before the bag was filled with money that Yami chased after the lunatic, who realized that he _wasn't _the only person in the store. The chase took close to about ten minutes, at the least. The guy was pretty fast, but he was even _faster_. He used every trick and every tactic up his sleeve to throw him off guard. And when he decided at the last minute to become a coward and pull a gun on him, of course Yami played the strategy well with his quick reflexes.

So, once he got a statement from the sales clerk and the money was safely returned, he left the scene and handled the perpetrator.

His entire body fell onto the chair which was situated behind his desk and sighed. Yami could still hear the muffled complaints from the guy, demanding that he get his one phone call or refusing to speak unless his lawyer was present. It was the same old routine everyday.

"Don't tell me that guy wore you out."

Yami raised an eyebrow, noticing a shadow blocking his light. He smirked, already knowing who it was. His partner and long time best friend, Jounouchi Katsuya appeared in front of his desk. "Are you kidding, Jou? That was probably the first adrenaline rush I've had all week. It's just having to hear the constant whining and complaining from that bastard is what irritated me to no end."

"Well, you're about to be even _more _irritated." Jounouchi tossed a folder on the desk, causing Yami to groan in frustration. Paperwork, the _greatest_ wonders of being a detective. Yami would take the thrilling action over this any day. Sure, sometimes he came out of it injured, but knowing that he was putting someone away for a despicable crime and helping local civilians was worth it. "Chief wants a full report on his desk before you clock out tonight."

Yami wished that he could summon up heat vision and just drill holes into this Kami forsaken folder. However, as much and as many times he wished, he knew that none of this written work will get finished by itself.

Dreadful shame.

Letting out a sigh and resisting the urge to bang his head upon the desk, Yami opened the folder and began to read through everything inside. He wasn't surprised by the list of charges and felonies this guy has against him. Armed robbery, grand-theft auto, burglary and the list goes on and on. "Thanks Jou, are you heading out now?"

"Yup, sure am. Can't do anymore damage to _this _Popsicle stand. Got a big date tonight," Jounouchi replied while stretching his arms and letting out a cheeky grin.

"Another date? And I am to assume that it's with _another _woman, correct?" When Yami received a confirming nod from him, he just shook his head. "When are you going to pick a woman and _stick _with her? It doesn't hurt to get to know her a little before you decide that things between you are not working out," he stated wisely.

"Where's the fun in that? I'm playing the field, is all." When Yami gave him a blank stare, Jounouchi rolled his eyes - already knowing what was coming next. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, man. If it makes you feel better, I'm treating the ladies very well. Showing the absolute and utmost respect," he replied while going into a saluting position.

Yami just smiled. This was your average, typical day here at the station. He would be working on something while talking with Jounouchi in order to pass the time. And whether his friend realized it or not, it actually helped a lot at times when he needed to complete something important. He may not agree with the kinds of choices that Jounouchi makes, but at least his friend was a decent enough guy. He would never think of playing with people's feelings. He's not now, nor has he ever been, the heartless type.

"That's all I want to hear. Just take my advice and get to know _this _one first, okay? You may find some things about her that you have in common," he replied, while quickly, but expertly, running through his paperwork.

"Well, if I'm going to find out, then I suppose I should leave now, huh? Have fun with that report," Jounouchi raced out for the doors, but he stopped for a nanosecond to throw a "thumbs up" to Yami. "Oh, and thanks for the advice, man. I owe ya!" And with that, he disappeared off into the night.

Shaking his head, Yami only allowed himself to laugh as he continued with his work. It was great watching his best friend trying to find the right woman for him and he hoped that he succeeds in finding his other half.

Something that _he _had long ago.

Yami stopped in mid-writing as he thought about his past. He was shocked, in a way, when his mind was suddenly brought to that point. Everyday since that time, Yami has been working very hard to move on with his life. Working up smiles whenever he had the chance, to laugh with his buddies and his co-workers, to look at life as preciously as he could.

But there were moments when he would look back and think about everything he had lost. Times when he'd wished that there was more he could have done to make things better. Although, as much as he wished that was possible, no one could change the past. Things happen for a reason. Those words were constantly being said to him so much, that they were etched into his brain. He was angry with those words before, but as time passed...he grew to accept them.

Finishing up his report was a bit easier than Yami had thought. Which he was glad, he was looking forward to a quiet night at home without the worries of work until the following day. Leaving the folder on the chief's desks, who was currently in the middle of a heated phone call, Yami waved and signaled that he was finished for the night. Whoever his boss was talking to, Yami surely did not want to be in their shoes.

* * *

Finally entering his home at one in the morning, Yami let out a sigh of relief as his back hit his front door. He stifled a yawn that had been itching to come out, feeling himself growing tired from the day. Being a cop had its moments, but Yami had to admit that it was exhausting once in a while. He figured that a quick shower and maybe a little after-midnight snack would do him justice before he retired to bed.

When he tossed his keys into the bowl on his computer desk, he couldn't help but to glance at a certain item right next to it. Picking up the said item, Yami stared at it longingly. It was a furry, soft brown teddy bear with a fuchsia ribbon tied around its neck. It was suppose to have been a gift...something that he never had the chance to give. It was also a big reminder of his past, a day that he wouldn't forget. He didn't know _why _he still kept this bear. He could easily give it to charity, but for some reason, that idea only made him want to hold onto this bear even more.

Maybe he will find someplace special for the bear in the future, but for now, Yami just kept it right where he always had it. Sometimes, he'd ask himself why he would keep it in that spot. That is, until he glanced at a picture of a raven-haired woman next to it. He didn't make any attempts to pick up the photo, but it's been exactly three years since he saw her.

No, he was doing it again. He was suppose to be thinking about the future, not dwelling on the past and the things that happened. He was doing so well pulling himself from the slump of depression and as each day passes, he was healing incredibly.

However...it didn't mean that those memories were forgotten. And the more Yami remembered, the more he wanted to go back and change things. But he couldn't, and he accepted it. It was okay to remember, even _more _okay to feel sad, but he had a life to live. So, it meant that he needed to focus on making it a better one. To remember that he was not alone in this world. He had plenty of people that he could trust and count on. People that helped him out of the hole he was in so long ago. Like his best friend, Jounouchi.

So, even if things in his past didn't go well, he hoped that something positive would happen for his future. Yami was praying deeply to Kami for it.

But in the meantime, he wandered into the kitchen and pondered what would best satisfy his snack craving. After being away from home for so many hours in the day, sometimes nights, he often forgets what it feels like to eat from his own refrigerator, instead of stopping in coffee shops from time to time. Not that he complained, it was just nice being able to cook his own creations as well.

As he began his task, Yami realized how much he was happy with his life. How grateful he was to have people that cared enough about his well being. He could never thank them all enough. It's what made his job as a cop a much more full-filling one. Knowing that he was fighting for innocent lives, making sure that they were all protected from this city of crimes. But even feeling that he had a purpose, Yami still felt there was something missing from his life. And he could never be _truly _happy, until he found exactly what that was.

Yami sighed as he collapsed on the available stool next to him. Rubbing his hand on the now developing headache that was starting to form. 

_All of this thinking in one night can't be good...especially after a long day work._

He decided that the only thinking would be used on whether he should watch an action flick or just let himself fall into his soft, bedsheets and allow his mind to take him into slumber. His choice was going for the latter and slowly ascended his stairs, taking his light snack with him. His bedroom had always been of a sanctuary for him whenever he needed time for peace. Four years ago, it also held a comforting aura. Even though it still felt relaxing being home, it was also mixed with was used to be. But he couldn't deny the fact that he'd wished for someone to come home to.

Again, his thoughts and _eyes_ strolled to the raven-haired woman. Finding another picture of her on his night table. After so long, Yami was confused as to why he still held onto her picture. Three years have come and gone...and he needed to move on.

With that, he touched the picture frame and pushed it face down. Keeping the image of her from his eyes and away from his thoughts.

* * *

Days have passed since Anzu arrived in Cape Happy. From her first perspective, she realized this town was very beautiful. Her living arrangements in her new house was to her liking as well. However, all of that beauty came with a price. She also noticed that whenever she turned around, there was a policeman arresting a fugitive for a crime committed. Just looking at those police cruisers intensified her glare. It reminded her of Ronin...and how her precious son was taken away from her.

She quickly shook away those traumatic memories. She had more important things to think about right now. Not that her son wasn't important, he would always be her little all-star. She only wanted to find some sort of peace from the thickening fog of pain she was trapped in. She wanted to leave all of her despairs in the past. But was this town really the best place to live when constant hostility and crimes were still in effect? Well, it only meant that she would carry a can of mace more often.

Sighing for the umpteenth time today, Anzu left from the employment agency with all of her papers intact. She was looking for a nice, safe place to find work and the choices she was given were to her liking. However, it wasn't a good second later that someone suddenly collided into her as he rushed inside, causing her purse and all of her papers to fly from her hands and onto the pavement. Looking back to where he ran off to, Anzu sighed..._again_ and decided to let it slide.

As she was about to pick up the first sheet of paper, another hand had landed on it first. "Are you all right?"

Anzu glanced up to the stranger and was caught looking into the most rarest, most mysterious shade of crimson she has ever seen. She choked for a moment, but thankfully, it wasn't taken notice of by this man. Never before has she seen very bold features such as his. And his hair...striking upwards like bolts of lightning. Unusual, but it suited him just perfectly. It was then that she realized that his question was left unanswered.

Clearing her throat, Anzu took the paper that was given to her. "U-uh...hai, I am fine. I just had a bit of a run-in by...whoever that guy was," she replied in embarrassment.

"Gomenasai, ma'am. That's 'Old Man Phillip'. He's always in a rush for something," he said while helping to pick up her things.

Shock seemed to be her only expression after hearing what he said, and she glanced back inside to try and catch another glimpse of the man, but could not. "He didn't look too old to me...just fast," she said.

Laughing softly, he stacked her papers and passed them to her. "Yeah, but he sure acts like it. Thinks it will give him an extra check in his daily mail." He gestured for Anzu to lean forward, which she complied, and made sure his voice was low for only. "But we're on to him."

Anzu also allowed herself to laugh. It was familiar and yet foreign at the same time. Laughter has not been one of her daily tasks in a long time, so having this stranger bring a smile to her face said a lot. _Maybe coming to this town was a good idea._

"Well, arigatou...I appreciate your help." As soon as her documents were gathered together, Anzu reached for her fallen purse, only to have a picture fly out. It was quickly caught by the man in front of her, who also took a glance at it. She sighed in relief knowing it was safe. That picture held a lot of meaning to her.

"I don't believe I have seen you before. You must be the tenderfoot in this town. What's your name?" he asked politely while helping her to stand.

Anzu was just about to answer, when she saw something that she had _never _wanted to see up close again. This man was carrying a badge in his jacket pocket. Just looking at that badge made the memories come hurling at her like a tidal wave. Remembering Ronin and his lack of love he showed for his family. How he placed his job before her and his son. And Syia...how he'd lost his life because Ronin failed to protect him. And she remembered, to this moment, how much she despised policemen.

This man was no different. He was apart of the law enforcement. He was one of them.

She snatched her picture out of his hand, giving him a glare as she pulled her purse up to her shoulder. "None of your business," she said coldly.

Anzu stomped in the opposite direction to where she was suppose to go, never once thinking, attempting or even caring to look back at him.

* * *

Yami stood and watched her walk away so abruptly. He was confused to her sudden mood change. Being the helpful person that he was, he offered to assist in making sure she wasn't hurt after Old Man Phillip bumped into her. She seemed nice. But it looked as if she was shielding herself away before she allowed anything to open up to him.

But even when she laughed, her eyes showed a bit of a deep hurt; painful experiences. It was the same way he was three years ago. But unlike him, this woman didn't have people close to her she could turn to. No one who would take the time to listen and talk to her. To try and help free her from the dark cloud encasing around her.

What was he doing? Yami face palmed himself. He did not know the first thing about her and he was making assumptions about her that may not be true. This was the first time he'd laid eyes on her, she had just came to this town. Maybe she came here for many reasons. To start a new life or she probably had a relative she was staying with. She may not even be _staying _here for long.

Okay, it was settled. No more about the subject. She was entitled to her own personal life and he had no right to interfere.

Although, when he began to tread in the opposite direction, he couldn't help but to glance back to where she walked off. Yami had always been a curious person. And his curiosity was rocketing sky high. But curiosity could put anyone into a load of trouble. Curiosity has a way of putting you in a predicament you can't escape from._ Sometimes._

Giving a sigh, Yami concentrated on what he needed to do in his life. Like heading back to the station, for instance. He had to finish up on that paperwork and check on his unsolvable cases that still needed his attention. That was the exciting part of the job. Knowing that he had a new mystery to challenge himself with. With the right evidence, he was always able to catch the perpetrator.

But first, he figured he would catch up on his lovable grandfather and check in to how he was doing. His game shop was only a few feet away, so a quick walk was all it took for him to get there.

Opening the door and hearing the familiar ding from the little bell above allowed his presence to be noticed. Sugoroku Mutou looked up from his box of new inventory to greet his customer, only to be happily surprised by his grandson. "Yami, my boy! Come on in, here to help your ol' grandpa today?"

Yami just laughed, his grandfather asked that every time he came to visit. On his days off from the station, he was happy enough to offer his assistance to Sugoroku. This place has always been like a second home to him when he was little. He remembered coming here after school to help out with the shop or bring his friends around whenever Sugoroku had a new game he wanted to show. Wanting to know if it was good enough to sell. Yami's love and expertise in gaming was one of the major key factors for his shop.

As a kid, Yami wondered if he would someday take over the shop, but as the years passed, he became more interested in criminal justice. Of course, his love of gaming had never dispersed.

"I wish I had the time, Ojii-chan, but I'm heading into work soon. I just came in to check up on you."

"Oh, everything's fine with me. In fact, you are just in time to watch me open a shipment of a new game that arrived today. It's suppose based on the famous Duel Monsters game, but played with dice." Sugoroku explained the rules and the concept of the game to Yami. After playing a sample game, he was intrigued immensely by it.

"This is amazing. If gamers enjoy this as much as I do, I think you're going to be sold out by this afternoon."

"Just what I wanted to hear from my expert grandson," he replied with a bucket full of excitement. While packing the game away, Sugoroku noticed the faraway stare Yami was giving off. He felt a smile grow upon his face. "Now, you've came all the way here just to see me...but am I allowed to ask how you are?"

Yami smirked at the playful question. His grandfather could be a real joker sometimes. "Yes, you are allowed, Ojii-chan. I'm dong great."

"Are you sure? You seem a bit distracted. The last time you were distracted like this was when..." Sugoroku didn't finish the statement, knowing that Yami would pick up on what he was speaking about.

But Yami did know and he just shook his head, declining his grandfather's theory. "No, it's nothing like that. I guess I am only thinking of...what my next move will be in life. Day by day, I seem to be healing progressively. And it's all thanks to you and everyone I care about. Now, it's my turn to help out others. Becoming a cop was one of the greatest decisions I've made in my life. I know that you've been wondering if I would consider taking over the shop one day."

"Yes, I have...but it was _your _choice on what you plan to do in life. I still remember the day when you first told me about your decision. You were so full of fire and determination. Seeing that in my grandson's eyes, how could I not give you my support?" Sugoroku gave him a kind, wrinkly smile.

"And I appreciate it, Ojii-chan, but what about you? You need someone to help you look after the shop when I'm not available."

"Which is all the more reason why you should sell this old shack."

Yami's turned when he heard a voice from behind, intruding in on his conversation with his grandfather. A glare was replaced with his smile. Kentaro Nakashima, a very despicable character indeed, was parading inside wearing one of his designer suits and harboring the most valuable jewelry he could obtain. His dark onyx hair was tied into a low ponytail, stopping at the middle of his backside. One thing Yami noticed was his eyes. Those gray, slitted eyes that held nothing but wickedness with a smirk to match.

"Well, it appears to be my lucky day," he responded as he approached closer to Yami. "I have finally caught up with _both_ of you. Haven't seen you in such a long time, Detective."

"Cut the small talk, Nakashima. What do you want? Not that I need to ask."

Kentaro only chuckled, feeling unfazed from the glare that he was receiving from Yami. "Always wanting to get down to business, huh, Yami? Well, I suppose we should, seeing as I have other matters to attend to today. Just wondering if Sugoroku-san had reconsidered on my offer."

Of course, it was that subject again. Kentaro was like a broken record whenever he brought it up. He was interested in buying the game shop.

He offered a large amount of money to buy it in order to turn the place into a shady gathering that would increase the _already_ high crime rate. He figured it was a win-win situation. Sugoroku would obtain a handsome retirement fund and Kentaro would obtain another piece of property for his many earnings.

His offer was turned down so many times, even when the price was doubled or tripled. Yami was proud that his grandfather always stood his ground to protect his shop. He'd never think to give it up to someone who would misuse it for their own evil ways.

"I am sorry, Nakashima-san, but my answer is still the same. I have no interest in selling my shop to you or to anyone else," Sugoroku said while wiping a few dust particles from the glassed display case. "I simply cannot part with something that has been in my family for so many years."

"You make it sound like this place has meaning. It's just full of childish items that are simply of no use." Kentaro walked around the shop, looking at the everything inside. "However...if I were to buy this place off your hands, I could _bring _this place to life. Tear down these walls in order to make it bigger. Neon lights, music and a long line of customers just waiting to come inside. This spot will be the talk of the town," he said with much enthusiasm.

"It would also be a place where your illegitimate plans will reside, but you've failed to explain that in your little vision." Yami always had the talent of reading a person's motives. One of his greatest strengths in being a detective. And for Kentaro, he wasn't an innocent man to sell a property to. He had his assumptions about Kentaro. He was the kind of man who had _more_ than just skeletons in his closet. But he had ways of hiding his past very well. Kentaro was a hard person catch, but there was not a criminal alive who could escape Yami's brilliant mind.

Having spent enough of their precious time, Yami did the honors and escorted Kentaro out. "I believe my grandfather's message was quite clear for you to understand. He is not interested in your offer. So, if you don't want to be arrested for harassment, then I bid you a good day."

Kentaro held up his hands in a mock surrender. "Fine, fine...so, you're not planning to sell today. There's always another time, however," he smirked and walked out with much more confidence than he came in with.

Yami made sure the door was shut before he turned back to his grandfather. He needed to collect himself once more and calm his nerves. He hated becoming this way whenever there was a visit from that snake, Kentaro. The man was like one hundred convicts put together.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated, meaning that he had an incoming text. Reading the message, it was confirmed that Jounouchi sent it, urging him to meet him at the edge of town.

"I'm sorry, Ojii-chan, I have to leave now. Will you be okay?" he asked, not feeling comfortable about leaving Sugoroku alone after the Kentaro fiasco.

But of course, his grandfather just chuckled. "I'll be alright, my boy. Go on now, your clever brain is needed. I am sure to see you later?"

Yami smiled and nodded, "You bet. And Ojii-chan...I'm glad that you are protecting this shop. This town needs, at least, one positive place to have that doesn't corrupt an innocent soul." With that said, Yami headed out leaving a heartfelt and proud grandfather behind.

* * *

Kentaro walked a few meters away from the shop, but stayed a good distance to watch it a little longer. He caught Yami coming out, who looked to be in a hurry go somewhere. It wasn't a surprise that he caught the fiery glare the tri-colored haired policeman was giving him. He wasn't intimidated, but he wondered how much more his anger could be suppressed. What would make him snap? Just the idea of it made Kentaro's lips lift up into a devious grin.

As he began to leave his "prized possession" behind, for now, he suddenly collided into someone. A woman, no less. He stood and watched her kneeling down to pick up her belongings. Watching her with a desired interest. She was obviously not from around here. He would have noticed that shade of chestnut brown hair if she was.

"I apologize, sir," she replied, looking up at Kentaro. Giving him the chance to see those sapphire eyes. He secretly smirked at her flawless beauty. "It seems like I'm not together today. Guess I picked a bad day to job hunt," he heard her muttering to herself, but heard every word she said.

A perfect opportunity, he knew right away. This woman would help him a lot more than she was about to realize. It was like a golden feather dropped down onto his high pedestal, giving him the access for even more opportunities.

When he place a hand on her shoulder, she looked up in shock. "I think I may be the answer you are looking for, my dear."


	4. Her Unbreakable Barrier

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

_Chapter 4_

Yami arrived just in time at the place where Jounouchi had asked him to meet. So far, he wasn't able to see his blond friend anywhere as of yet, but he noticed other detectives and a forensics team on the site. Something big must have been found and he needed details as to what was happening.

He walked closer to the surrounding scene, keeping his eyes and ears open for anyone who was talking about anything that would give him the story. Showing his identification along with his badge, Yami was granted passage to go near the restricted area. It was there that he found Jounouchi, speaking with another fellow officer. His expression was serious, but also forlorn. He stepped up to him just as the other officer had left to handle another matter.

"Got your message. I came as fast as I could, what's going on?" he asked in confusion.

Instead of explaining, Jounouchi gestured for Yami to follow him. "We've got a call at the station twenty minutes ago about a suspicious find here."

As they were passing by the forensics team taking pictures, Yami was caught off guard when he saw a body laying on the ground with a sheet covering it. He muttered his apologies and excusing himself in order to move closer to the scene. He knelt down next to the body and slowly pulled the sheet away, which revealed to be a young blond haired woman. From her features, she looked to be in her late twenties. She was lifeless, but her hazel nut eyes were still open; soulless.

Yami sensed Jounouchi sitting down next to him, but he only continued to stare upon the body. "What was the cause of death?" he asked.

"An autopsy was performed on her already. You're not gonna believe what the results were."

"You don't mean..." Jounouchi's nodding was all Yami needed to confirm what he meant.

"Damn it.." he quietly cursed. For the past two months, there had been three cases of women suddenly dying from a poison called cyanide. It was unknown as to whether or not these women were exposed to this poison, or if they were conflicting it on themselves. Whatever the reason, there was never any evidence to pinpoint the answer. But Yami knew that being exposed, voluntarily, to this poison was mere suicide. Because after doing a background check on these women, none of them had the motives to commit suicide.

So, the only possible explanation would be that they were brutally exposed to the substance. Whoever had the access to this poison, was the person killing these innocent women. However, the only problem, the killer always walked away clean. Leaving nothing behind that would lead Yami to the culprit.

Yami studied the body. Cyanide was considered to be the "movie star" of deadly poisons. The killer must have deep connections, inside and/or out, in order to obtain it.

It was a long shot, but Yami decided to look around for any sort of clue. No matter how small or how insignificant it may be. He carefully scouted around, until he found something shimmering near the body. Requesting for a medical glove, Yami placed it on his hand and picked up the unknown object. It turned out to be a silver ring. A male ring to be precise. It wasn't a definite discovery, so Yami couldn't make any quick assumptions as of yet.

"Found something?" his partner asked, noticing how quiet he became.

"Not sure, but maybe this item will give us a little push. Although, it's just a hunch. For all we know, this could be another dead end."

Jounouchi chuckled a bit. "Hey, after knowing you for so long, I've come to expect that those hunches of yours are always on the money. You're a risk-taker, even if the situation should turn against us."

"Well, that's part of the job, isn't it?" Yami's answer was an agreeable shrug from his best friend.

Examining the ring a bit closely, Yami noticed a stain of blood on the edge. It's possible that the blood belonged to the dead woman, but he wondered if there was any other DNA on it. Packing the ring away in a plastic bag, he offered it to the forensics, requesting for more information they could discover from this object.

Before he left the scene for the medical team to take the body away, Yami said a silent prayer to Kami. Wishing and hoping that the soul would find peace. Giving his apologies to an innocent person who was taken away from this world so quickly and harshly by another cruel human being. Not having the chance to enjoy life a little longer than expected to.

He hated this part of the job, knowing that a life was caught in the middle and there wasn't anything he could do to make it better. The only logical thing he could do was to get justice for the victim and/or family.

"This has gone on too far, Jounouchi. We've got to find out who is doing this...before someone else suffers the same fate."

"You bet we will. So, where do we start? The usual procedures, background check?"

Yami stood up with Jounouchi following his move as they walked away from the scene and to his car. He was laying out all of the options in his head, trying to create the right path in order to solve this case. "Right now, my main factor is to getting any answers from that ring. We might have a clear lead from it. However..." Yami sighed and held the bridge of his nose. "It could _still _be a long shot. So...we may be sent right back to square one."

"Well, I hope you don't have anything planned. Because I feel we have a long night ahead of us," Jounouchi replied as he entered the passenger's side of the vehicle.

Yami scoffed, but smirked as he was starting the ignition. "Shouldn't that have been _my_ line to say?"

* * *

When Anzu had imagined how her new job would be in this brand new town, she'd never expected to witness this outcome. Here she was, standing with a large serving tray against her chest, staring at a packed night club. Filled with very shady characters who were intoxicated or just itching to cause a scene.

And she had Kentaro Nakashima to thank for it.

When she first bumped into him, Anzu didn't expect him to stick around as she was gathering up her things. And she _definitely _didn't expect him to offer her a waitress job right off the bat either. With the way he was dressed, she figured it was at a semi-fancy restaurant. However, she ought to have known better by the way he was giving her, somewhat, eerie glances.

Not to mention that her waitress uniform was very uncomfortable on her. Not just because of the black short skirt and the tight white blouse that revealed curvaceous body, but because she was constantly getting a lot of stares at the men _looking _at her curvaceous body.

The only thing that kept Anzu from having a meltdown was her thinking of this job being only temporary. She just needed enough money to get her by until she could find something better. And considering the amount of tips she was receiving on her first night, Anzu can safely say that her time here is not very long. She didn't like it, but what choice did she have?

Thankfully, she had a ten minute break. It wasn't much, but it gave her some time to be alone for just a little bit. Anzu couldn't take much more of these men flirting with her, their whistling calls from across the room and that horrible, choked up laughing she heard whenever an insulting comment was made at her.

She placed the tray down on top of the counter, trying to get her stress level back to its normal place. Dealing with those perverted men who called themselves human beings was enough to make Anzu want to hurl. And having a boss who was within the same category as them was even worse.

But he offered her a job, she should be grateful for the chance. Anzu felt that she, at least, owed him for it. Something that could have been given to just about anyone. Clearly, Kentaro can't be all that bad.

"Ah, there you are."

Anzu looked behind her to find Kentaro with that same sly smirk he presented her when they'd first met. Anzu had to admit that he was good looking, but good looks can only take you so far. Especially, if there wasn't a decent personality behind those looks.

"Nakashima-san," Anzu spoke, but cleared her throat when she felt it beginning to hoarse. "I was taking a little break, but is there something you needed me to do?"

He didn't answer right away, which caused Anzu to become apprehensive. He just stood there, smirking at her. As if he was trying to invade into her thoughts, trying to read her mind.

"Actually, Mazaki-chan, I'm just wondering what the problem seems to be. I am getting words from my best customers about you. That you're not offering much of a good service to them."

Anzu knew what Kentaro was speaking about and she was angered by such accusations. But she handled herself in a professional manner, not wanting to cause any trouble with her new boss. "No disrespect to you, Nakashima-san, but I have to disagree. My services have been nothing but courteous the entire night. What your customers are implying for me to do is not in my job description. I do not take kindly in having my dignity being used as anything laughable or in an inappropriate manner."

Kentaro was speechless, making Anzu wonder if she got him to see her point of view. However, the chuckling erupting from his chest signified that he clearly did not register her words properly.

He swiftly, but casually walked behind her and took hold of her shoulders, making her turn to the chattering crowd who were losing themselves to that horrid liquid they were consuming. "Now, Mazaki-chan...I understand perfectly where you're coming from. Of course, a woman with your stature would not want to be ridiculed in that sort of fashion. But when you are here, the customers are like royalty. And you must serve them with anything they wish for, no questions asked," he explained.

Anzu would not hear of it, she hated the idea. "This isn't what I had agreed to when you hired me. If I had known before time - "

"But you didn't," Kentaro interrupted her. "You were searching for a job, I gave you an opportunity. If you think to quit now, then who else is going to hire you so easily as I did?"

As much as she despised it, Anzu couldn't argue. It's true, even if she wanted to just drop everything and leave, she doubted there was another job available at this time. The money that her dear friend Toshiro gave to her would not last forever. It was just enough to keep her settled temporarily.

"Remember Mazaki-chan," she shuddered as Kentaro whispered in her ear, but shuddering from the uncomfortable contact. "I have offered you a chance that any other woman would kill for. Call it a _good deed_, if you will. And I expect you to offer your services when I ask for it. Now...I believe I see another table waiting for your assistance. Oh, and do remember to smile."

She glanced over at the said table and noticed a man sitting alone, giving her that same look she received all night aiming in her direction. Grabbing the tray, Anzu reluctantly began to approach him. Yes, she would offer a good service, but that would only go so far...when it means having to shield herself from anyone who thinks to hurt her.

Only if it was necessary, of course. After all...she wouldn't have this job, if it wasn't for Kentaro.

So again, he couldn't be all that bad...right?

* * *

Papers and folders were scattered all over the table that Yami was working at, but with his sense of organization and memory skills, he was able to pinpoint where everything was from this little bundle of mess he created. Since coming back to the station with Jounouchi, they both immediately went to work on this ongoing, difficult case.

Theories were made, but none of them seemed to fit anywhere. The ring he found wasn't of much help either. After receiving the results from the forensics, it showed that the blood was from the woman and not the killer. Yami was disappointed from it, hoping that it would have been the important piece he was searching for.

Looking at his watch, the evening hours disappeared into the morning hour. He didn't realize how much time had passed, but this case was bothering him more and more. The holes were constantly becoming bigger. And there were far too many of them to fill. Yami had to think of another tactic in his strategy to solve this case.

After spending the entire night working, his best friend suggested that they take a break and have breakfast at their most favorite coffee spot in town. Since sleep was out of the question, he figured that they would hone up their energies with a hearty breakfast. Yami was reluctant to leave, but he realized that a small break couldn't _really _hurt. As long as he was able to sneak some of his work along with him.

He went back to reading the profiles of the four dead women. They all had something in common, something that caused them to be murdered. Yami had went over these papers so many times and he was certain that he could memorize every word. There were too many pieces missing and he was determined to find them all.

Question was, when he found them, where exactly would they go? Even though the ring did not give Yami the answers he was looking for, he still kept it for evidence.

He took a sip of his delicious hot coffee and sighed in a quick comfort as the liquid traveled down his esophagus, warming his insides to the bone. It was amazing how this simple beverage made him so calm and so alert. But once this caffeinated drink wore off, it was sayonara to the real world when he entered the land of dreams.

Yami couldn't say hello to his pillow just yet, until he was at least halfway to solving this case. And by the time the case finally came to a close, there was no doubt that Yami would end up like a walking zombie.

"You know, the whole point in taking a break, is to leave your work..._at _work," Jounouchi said, coming back to their table carrying his breakfast.

Yami was silent as he picked up the bag with the ring inside and examined it again, but this time, more thoroughly. A sterling silver ring that had a dragon insignia displaced on the top. It was a simple ring, nothing too special about it. Although, this piece of jewelry may hold some sort of value to it.

"Still wondering about that ring?" Jounouchi asked while unwrapping his sandwich.

Yami just sighed and let the baggie drop on the table. His hand held the base of his forehead, feeling his brain beginning to overload and a migraine starting to form. "I still can't get around it, Jou. There is something about this case that has me in a loophole. And these women," he pulled out their profiles again, studying them once more. "They have more in common than we realize. These girls weren't just killed randomly...they were targets. But for what reason, I have no clue."

"Hey, man...we're going to figure this out. You're the brains in this operation. Sooner or later, this guy's going to slip. And when he does, that'll be his final move."

Knowing that Jounouchi had to be right somehow, making that prediction come true was a long shot. Without enough evidence, leads or clues, this case was just like trying to find a needle in a haystack. A very _thin _needle in a very _huge _haystack.

He worked himself into returning his attention back into the files, distinctively hearing the constant chews from his partner. He was suddenly brought out of his focus by the soft ding of the entrance door, signaling that someone was entering the shop. Usually, Yami would just cast a glance up for only a millisecond to see who it was.

This time, however, the millisecond was a bit longer.

It was her again. The same woman who he had the _pleasure _of meeting yesterday.

Looking at her now, she seemed a bit more...bothered, maybe even disturbed by something. She also looked a little angered, but made sure to keep it in check.

"Jou, I'll be right back...I'm going to get a refill." Yami heard Jounouchi muffled something, but he didn't stay long enough to hear it. His attention was so deep into this chestnut-haired woman.

She was very beautiful, he would gladly admit that at any time. And maybe their first encounter was a little bit of a misunderstanding. Perhaps, she suddenly changed moods because she was in a hurry to be somewhere. Or she could have had an extremely, hard day. He, of all people, could relate. It couldn't hurt to try and talk with her again.

Anzu sighed in relief, but in frustration after having to survive her first night working for Kentaro. It was basically one of the worst experiences she'd ever had to encounter. After leaving, she immediately went home and tried to pull herself together.

Taking a relaxing shower helped a little, washing off not only the sweat from those hot, beaming lights...but from those degrading words that were being thrown at her. She couldn't believe how Kentaro made her endure being a walking display for those men. But mostly...she couldn't believe she had allowed _herself _to let him. She was suppose to be serving, yes, but not in the way that would humiliate her.

But what could she do? Kentaro was right in saying that there were no other available jobs in this town. But that didn't mean Anzu could not, at least, _try _and ask around anyway.

Which brought her here to this coffee shop. She was in the mood for something that would boost a little of her energy. This place gave her a comfortable feeling. A place like this, she would have loved to bring her son here to every morning. Watching as he happily ate anything his little heart desired. Just imagining it, she smiled at the thought of Syia's innocent face lighting up to ask her for a tasty treat.

It made Anzu realize that she would never have the chance to see his happy smile again. The closest she would ever come to seeing it would be in pictures. But pictures were just images of the real thing.

She took out the blue ribbon that Syia presented to her before he died. She was so proud of his success and hoped to have a little more time with him...no, _a lot _more time. _Years_, even.

Syia was caught in something that wasn't his fault. He was punished for Ronin lacking in giving his love and attention to his own family. But Anzu had to take a load of the blame herself. She should have seen the signs sooner. The distance that Ronin was placing in between them. She realized much too late.

She blinked back her tears and held down the sob she wanted desperately to let out while shoving the ribbon in her purse. Now was not the time to begin crying, she reminded herself.

Anzu stood and waited by the counter for someone to assist her. She didn't have to wait long, for a young woman appeared, greeting Anzu with a friendly smile.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, how may I help you?" she politely asked.

"Ohayo...I'm hoping to know if you're in need of new help for the shop."

The woman smiled sadly, "Gomenasai, but we're fully staffed at the moment."

It was what Anzu had been afraid of. Part of her knew she would receive that answer, but she still hoped for a positive reply. One little fall back would not keep her from giving up. That was something her little Syia had always believed in. Her shining star never thought of giving up, no matter what.

Covering up her disappointment, Anzu just shook her head and gave her own smile. "It's fine, I'll just take a cup of your best french vanilla cappuccino."

"And would you refill this for me, Sasaki-san?"

Anzu recognized that voice. She was surprised, and yet annoyed in having to see this man again. Not once did she think she'd run into him again. However, it was a small town and chances of _not _seeing him again were slim to none.

"Of course, Mutou-san," Anzu heard the woman known as Sasaki-san speak, "I'll have your orders ready in just a second."

Silence. Neither one of them spoke and Anzu hopes that the silence would stay just as it is.

"It's nice to see you again," he replied. Well...so much for that wish.

Anzu glanced at him from the corner of her eye, determined to keep this little chat quick and short. "Sorry, I can't say that the feeling is mutual."

From his reaction, Anzu suspected that he was about to say something, but thankfully, he was interrupted by Sasaki-san, who brought back their drinks in a fast pace. "Alright, here you go. One refill and one french vanilla cappuccino," she said in a cheery tone.

She was thankful for her speed. If things go the way she hoped, she can be out of here in no less than a minute. All she had to do was pay for her drink and she would be on her way. No more having to listen to this detective's attempts to try and be friendly with her. But as she was looking through her purse to find her wallet, Anzu realized that it wasn't there. She scrambled around trying to find it, but with no such luck.

What she hated from this situation...was that it was obvious she had no money to pay for her drink. And when she glanced at the spiky-haired detective, he knew it as well from his smile and how he was pulling out extra bills from _his _wallet. With that, he took the liberty into buying both beverages before she could even stop him from doing so.

Her glare was so furious, that if looks could kill, this guy would be six feet under right now. "What the hell did you think you were doing? I don't believe I asked you to do that."

Again, he offered her that _same _smile_. _So far, all he's done was smile at her. Doesn't he show any other emotions, she wondered?

"It's all right -"

"Iie," Anzu cut him off, "it's _not _all right. In fact, it is completely _further _from being all right. I'm not going to condone myself into being one of your little charity cases, you got that?"

"But it's not charity, I assure you," he replied in a soft, calm voice in order to keep her from going hostile.

"Well, good because I'm not some defenseless woman who needs someone to pull her out of a slump or to throw money at. I'm capable of earning my own. So, if you want to offer charity, give it to someone who actually _needs _it."

He just stood silently, not making any attempts to comment her back. He only looked at her...with those unique crimson eyes. Looking at her with the most softest gaze and a mysterious emotion. Anzu couldn't figure out what the other emotion was and she hated not being able to guess. "What's with the look?" she asked, never once letting up on her glare. She just managed to intensify it.

Grabbing her cappuccino from the counter, he held it out for her to take. "You seem like the kind of woman who's independent, able to handle anything she has to. I admire your spirit...but sometimes it does not hurt to ask for help."

She snatched her drink from him as much as she could without spilling it, also moving to take a few napkins and other condiments. She also got another look at his badge, remembering the reason why her anger was existed. "When I want help, I'll ask for it. But it certainly will not be from you," she hissed to him.

And just like the first time, Anzu walked away. Never looking back on the man who seemed to be mysteriously getting under her skin. She didn't realize how much air she needed once the cool air began to hit her apricot colored face. She took a couple of deep breaths as she supported herself against her car, feeling her emotions swirling around like a chaotic hurricane.

She took a few sips of her cappuccino, the warm liquid soothing her insides. Making her feel a little peace from this cold, cruel world. But she didn't want temporary peace...she wanted it to be permanent. She wanted her little boy back, safe and alive. She wanted to see Syia again. To see his perfect smile and his unique and caring personality. To watch him grow into a successful man who had dreams in his heart.

But it would never happen. She would never get to see those special qualities ever again. She would never see what kind of man Syia would grow up to be. His life was taken away.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, she dug through her pocket to pull out her car keys. But when she did, she stopped after feeling another object sitting inside. Grasping it, she pulled it out and realized...that her wallet was there this whole, entire time.

Anzu felt like hitting her head against something that would knock her unconscious for the next thirty centuries. Knowing that the whole ordeal in the coffee shop could have been avoided, if she had just checked her pockets.

_The__ universe must see me as a hilarious joke._

* * *

Deja-vu, he said to himself. It was a complete repeat of how things had ended when Yami met her yesterday. Only this time, she did not have the beautiful smile or the melodious laughter upon her. Instead, she was cold and angry. A protective barrier was encased around herself, keeping out anything and anyone. Him, especially.

But why did she loathe him so? Was it even the case? He thought that by doing what he did for her, she would feel that he was of no threat. It was the exact opposite of what he expected. She just became enraged. Her sapphire eyes flickered into a deep dark blue, almost as if they were turning black.

He was sure of it now, she was exactly like him. She showed the same signs as he did three years ago when he was depressed. It was speculation, but she may also be having troubles in her life, too. Maybe she couldn't talk to anyone about it because she _had _no one to confide in.

"Uh, Mutou-san...is everything okay?"

He had almost forgotten that he was still standing in the coffee shop...staring at the door where the intriguing woman left out from. He could stare at it for as long as possible, but wouldn't be able to figure out this dilemma.

He just sighed and smiled. "I'm fine, Sasaki-san. Thank you for the refill."

Taking his coffee from the counter, Yami gulped a few sips while walking back to his table. He had a spectacular reputation at being a detective, figuring out the most toughest of mysteries and puzzling crimes...but that girl was even more tougher than a Rubik's cube. And she was too proud to ask for help, so there was nothing he could do unless she accepts it. But for now, he would keep an eye on her and watch her from afar.

Especially now that there was a murderer on the loose, killing innocent women none the less. It gave him the motivation to work even harder to track him down.

* * *

_A/N:_ Everyone, I do apologize for not updating my stories as I should. But I hope these chapters were good enough and worth the wait. I will do my hardest to continue working on the rest of my unfinished work. So, until next time, readers. I will update this one again soon.


	5. Attempting to Break Through

_A/N:_ Thank you all for you reading and giving your reviews. I apologize for the long delay, please enjoy.

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

_Chapter 5  
_

_The distracting breeze of the summer season brought her out of her gardening for a short second. She sighed blissfully as the air kissed her rosy cheeks and blew through her naturally, chestnut colored hair. It smelled so fresh and felt so rejuvenating. It wasn't too hot out and it was the perfect weather for anything, including spending a day in the garden. _

_She heard laughter in the distance and she turned away from her daffodils to find the source of it to be her beautiful son, playing with his ball and mitt. She knew that on the day he was born, he would bring her such enjoyment and happiness in her life. Looking at the way he was playing so carefree and happy confirmed it. He was that huge sparkle that forever shined in her heart. _

_Her little all-star. _

_He smiled and gave a wave with his mitt still attached to his hand, which made her laugh as she returned the wave. That special smile of his...it always had a way of lifting her spirits whenever she was sad or just having the hardest day ever. She could always count on her pride and joy cheering her up in the most silliest ways he could think of. And he always succeeded in doing the greatest job of it, too. It made whatever terrible thing that happened in the day, worth living through.  
_

_Going back to tending her daffodils, she began humming the lullaby she used to sing to her son as a baby. As he grew and got older, she taught him the words and they would sing together at his bedtime. Her humming was silenced by a bizarre feeling creeping up her spine. She looked up in time to see her son going after his baseball that rolled into the street. She also witnessed a speeding car coming his way, making no attempts to stop. Her heart raced along with her adrenaline as she threw down her garden tools to save her son. _

_But even her fast legs couldn't get there in time. The car crashed into him...and he was motionless on the road with his blood pouring from his body. _

_"SYIA!"_

* * *

Anzu woke up with a fright. Perspiration developing at her brow and her breathing coming out in shallow pants. It was the same dream again. The one she had been having for the past two months since Syia died. Sometimes, the setting was different. She would be happily cooking, handling laundry, reading a book...anything that she was enjoying. But no matter what task it was, the outcome was always the same.

She reached over the coffee table to grab her glass of iced water she made, noticing that her ice had melted. But feeling the liquid trickling down her throat was cool and refreshing enough. Especially after her nightmare.

The small weight on her lap got her to glance down, looking at the open photo album she had pulled out of a box sitting in the corner. She was placing all of her items away, but the album took her attention away from her task. The moment she opened this book of pictures, memories of the past came rushing back like a tsunami. The day when she first held Syia in her arms was a moment no mother could ever forget.

And with each year, Syia grew and learned so much before her very eyes. The pictures were more than enough proof of how happy her son became most of the time. With his friends and with her. Sadly, however, Ronin was not a part of the equation. It was the only thing Syia was sad about. And although Anzu never had a clear enough answer as to _why _he refused to meet the needs of his son at times, she did all she could to bring the smile back to Syia again. No matter how many excuses she made for him.

Making excuses was one of her biggest mistakes when it came to him. Telling herself that things were only temporarily...that Ronin would make it up to his family. She looked down at her wedding ring that she still wore on her finger. Anzu couldn't help but remember the day when she pledged her life to him. The vows and the promises they've made to each other, she reminisced every word. She had placed so much trust into him. But that trust caused her to lose the last bit of light she had left. She had nothing else to live for. Her main reason why she woke up every morning and worked so hard everyday was taken away from her. She didn't see the point in starting a new life.

However, Anzu was no coward. She would not allow Ronin to control her life. If she did, he would hold all of the cards at his disposal. He would have complete power over her. And the first step into proving it, she wanted to sever the ties from him. The only question...was _when _she would?

Taking one more longing look at the last photo of Syia, which he took at his final little league's game, Anzu gently closed the album. She couldn't help but glance at the clock. _7:49 p.m..._

Still a bit early, but late enough to realize how long she'd slept. She thought that spending her day off outdoors exploring the town would be quite enjoyable. But as soon as lunch time came around, she had lost interest in the whole idea. So, when she came home, Anzu decided to close every curtain in the house, keeping herself away from human eyes and any source of light.

She had a lot of unpacking she still needed to do anyway. Which brought her to the discovery of her photo album. She looked through it for, what she remembered to be, an hour. After that, she must have dozed off and fell into a dreamless sleep...that was suddenly turned into her continuous nightmare.

Now...here she sat in her _almost _furnished home, completely in the dark. And yet, she was not so afraid. Anzu grasped the darkness like a soft teddy bear, feeling the comfort and the understanding that no one hasn't given to her in a long time. The darkness felt her pain. And if it would always be there to numb her pain, then she would gladly surrender herself to it.

But even in this dark house, Anzu noticed the small light peeking out through the curtain. That little glimmer, from the setting sun, refused to be erased by her new security blanket she made out of the darkness. She stared at the light as if it was the most peculiar thing she's ever seen. It was within her reach, but she made no notion to embrace it.

Maybe now that the sun was setting, Anzu could try going for a walk again. It wasn't _too _late to go out for an evening stroll. As much as she wanted to just continue sitting here in the dark, she also craved for some fresh air. To clear her mind of every emotion that is drilling within her.

It was decided. Anzu grabbed her keys and purse before she changed her mind.

* * *

"Arigatou!" A little girl was happily hugging her new stuffed Kuriboh toy, rambling to her mother about all of the adventures she was going to have once she was home.

Yami smiled as he watched both mother and daughter leave the shop and remembered how much he enjoyed bringing satisfaction to the customers. For the past few days, his mind had been wrapped around that complicated case. Still having no success in coming up with a clear answer as to whom the killer was. So, when he was given the luxury of taking some time off, Yami volunteered to help out his grandfather for the day.

But work wasn't what has been distracting him lately. That woman...hair of chestnut and eyes of sapphire. She was constantly plaguing his mind, entering his thoughts. After their second meeting in the coffee shop, he was beginning to notice a bit more about her. Although she was doing a hell of a good job of putting up a front, Yami felt that inside...she was crying out and seeking help, but had no way of asking for it.

If it was any other person, Yami would have helped due to his duties as a cop. But with her...he felt like he wanted to do _more_. Because he sensed a hidden pain from her. And his abilities as a detective did not give him the conclusion. He already knew from personal experience.

"Someone seems to be in deep thought again."

Yami's eyes sauntered over to Sugoroku sorting out items on the shelves. His back was turned, but his grandfather knew he had something on his mind. It was such an amazement that he was able to tell. Maybe that was where Yami got his gift of analysis from.

He sighed and played with a forgotten pen sitting on the counter. He didn't want to burden his grandfather and worry him over things he could handle on his own. For now, he would keep this situation to himself. "Just...noticing how slow the day has been. Not many customers have come in today."

Sugoroku gave a chuckle, not stopping his task of sorting and rearranging the merchandise. "Oh, no worries, my boy. Slow days happen now and then. It gives me a chance to straighten things around the shop. To make a few changes, if possible." He turned to Yami, bearing a concerned expression for his grandson. "But is that _really _what's bothering you?"

He hesitated. Was it wise to tell him everything now rather than later? If he did, maybe Sugoroku could offer a bit of advice on what to do. It was a good plan...but not at the right time. Sticking to his original decision, Yami did his best to wave off the worry. "Trust me, if there was something wrong, you would be the first one I'd talk to."

"Well, I suppose that's good enough for me." Sugoroku picked the last empty box and stacked it inside the largest one. "Why don't you head on home now? You could use some rest."

Knowing that arguing would be pointless, he just agreed with his grandfather's suggestion. Besides, he did feel the exhaustion creeping up behind him like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. He turned to grab his things from the inventory room, not realizing that the woman who kept entering his mind...was entering the shop.

In the short amount of time that Anzu had been out for her walk, she had come across many places that have caught her attention. Like the library, for instance. She was grateful that there was a place she could go to in order to clear her mind, along with reading as many books as she wanted. She was even able to spend some time in the coffee shop she visited a few days ago.

The one where she had another unfortunate meeting with that police officer. She still would not forget what happened, but it has kept her infuriated. Well, it was a small town, she thought to herself. But what were the chances of her running into him twice? It was pretty unlikely that it would happen again any time soon.

Her walk had been very pleasant. And before she decided to call it night, Anzu wanted to explore one more shop.

Going inside, she stopped a bit when she noticed that this place was full of games, cards and toys. She almost turned around to leave, but the sight of a Dark Magician plush toy interested her into staying for a bit. She sauntered over to get a better look at it. She remembered watching Syia and a few of his friends playing a card game known as Duel Monsters. He even explained a little of the concept on how to play the game to her.

She knew of this purple magician because Syia had mentioned that it was his favorite monster to use. Another memory that is etched into her mind. Without realizing, Anzu hugged the plush doll in her arms. Wishing that she had ways of going back in time, just to relive her special moments with Syia again. Or...to make sure that car _never _made contact with him.

"May I help you with anything, miss?"

Anzu was caught off guard, but realized when she looked behind her, the owner of the shop was speaking to her. She discreetly wiped away any shed tears before placing the toy back in its original spot. "Oh...kekkou desu. I was only browsing through your store."

The old man nodded, completely understanding Anzu's answer. Looking at him, she absorbed his warm welcome and smile. Something that grandparents usually gave their grandchildren whenever they came to visit. Anzu could tell that he was a very kindhearted man. "Do you find anything that interests you, my dear?" he asked, coming around to the plush toys she was observing.

"Iie, not today," Anzu replied with a smile, "I'm doing a little scouting around town and memorizing all of the places I have visited. I've just moved here, so things are still a little new to me."

"Really now? Well, I humbly welcome you to Cape Happy. I hope you've had a good experience so far."

Anzu nodded, not replying to him as of yet. Watching as he placed some items upon his shelves. She could have easily said her goodbyes and left for another destination, but being here just made her want to stay longer. Partially to the fact that she felt an aura of wisdom from this kind man. Someone of his magnitude must have learned and gained a lot knowledge through his years.

"It takes time getting used to a new environment, but please feel free to visit me, Sugoroku Mutou, if you need any help. But if I'm not around, my grandson, Yami, will be more than happy to assist you, too."

She was very grateful for the offer. She smiled and bowed respectfully, showing her gratitude. "Arigatou...I will try to soak in as much as I can on my own. I don't want to be much of a burden to anyone."

"Alright, Ojii-chan, I'm off."

It was that voice again. She couldn't believe it.

And to make it more official, Anzu watched as the spiky-haired man strolled out from a back room. Graciousness was quickly replaced with resentment surging through her blood stream.

Knowing that everything was set in order, where his grandfather wouldn't have much to do, Yami was prepared to leave for home. He admitted that the idea of falling asleep in his fluffy pillows was a dose of paradise for him. It was expected, especially after dealing with a long, overdue case that hasn't been solved yet. The challenge was exciting, but frustrating all at the same time.

Almost as if he was involved in some difficult duel that decided the fate of the entire world.

Coming up with that conclusion...it was confirmed that he was watching a bit too many suspense movies.

He came around to bid his grandfather goodnight, noticing that he was speaking with a customer. But it wasn't just any customer...it was _her _again. And from the way she was shooting her glare his way, Yami figured that she was not expecting to see him either.

"We just keep running into each other, don't we?" he smiled, hoping to make things a bit easier this time.

"This is your grandson?" Anzu asked, completely ignoring Yami.

"Yes, he is..." Sugoroku was silent for a moment, noticing how they both reacted to each other. "Do you two know one another?"

Instead of answering, Anzu just gave a respectful bow again. "Gomen nasai, but it appears that I need to get going. Thank you for the advice, but I think I'll manage on my own."

Just when she was preparing to make her way out, her wrist was caught abruptly, but gently, by the man she was avoiding. The man who she learned was named Yami. She turned to him, trying to muster up a glare so cold and malicious, that it would send the message clear for him to understand.

"I _kindly _ask that you let go of me, now."

"Please..." he replied, urging her to stop, "stay for a moment. This is my third time seeing you and during those times, you have been very defensive in my presence. I...want to apologize if I've said or done anything that may have upset you in any way."

"Save your apologies. I wouldn't expect some _detective _to understand," she answered with no emotion.

Yami was silently stunned. She _knew _of his occupation? It wasn't possible for her to even have that knowledge, considering she's been here for a short amount of time. "How did you -"

"Oh, please," she replied cutting him off, already knowing what his question would be. "It was hard _not _to see the badge from inside your jacket. If you were trying to conceal it, you weren't doing a very good job of it."

Yes, things were coming together for him now. The moment Yami first met her, she was kind and courteous. They held a conversation together so well. He also liked the way she smiled, even if there was a bit of sorrow buried deep within her eyes. Like she was wearing a mask to cover up her true feelings. As soon as she caught a glimpse of his badge, she did a complete turn around on him. She did her hardest to try and avoid him whenever he saw her. Perhaps she had a bad experience with an officer before, but he would not speculate on that theory so soon. Seeing as she was already having a problem with him.

"Can you release me? I believe we're done here."

He woke from his profound thinking, but Yami still kept hold of her hand. "Chotto matte kudasai...I still need to speak to you."

"Well, too bad! Now, let go!" Anzu used almost all of her strength to pull her wrist away from him, but the force caused her to drop Syia's blue ribbon from her pocket. She didn't realize that all of her struggling and pulling was making the ribbon slowly escape until it was flown right onto the floor. In front of Yami, who also watched it drop.

Picking up the ribbon, he examined it and noticed it was an award given to an extraordinary player of a baseball team. He also detected a few spots of dried blood upon it. He was beginning to go into detective mode and was curious to know what blood was doing on an award that was meant to be proudly displayed.

He did not get far into wondering because the ribbon was snatched right out of his hands. Yami didn't flinch, except when he stared into the pools of her eyes, giving off very intense emotions. She was constantly reminding him of how he used to be three years ago. What was happening in her heart, he wondered? If only he could tell her that she wasn't alone. To reason with her that he was of no threat to her. But how could he do that when she continued to put up walls around herself?

When Yami was about to try to talk with her again, the bells from the door began to ring. It was revealed to be Kentaro, coming inside bearing his sleazy, trademark smirk that he hated so much. He had a habit of showing up at the wrong time, and _now_ was no exception.

"Well, I see that my soon-to-be shop is in order," he replied in a suspicious tone that was obviously noticeable, "Ah, Yami, surprised to see you here. I would love to chat, but I have to get down to business."

Yami growled viciously, already knowing where this was heading. "Kentaro, my grandfather and I have told you, many times, that this shop is not for sale."

"Oh, but I believe you'll change your mind once you see the papers I've drawn up," he said while pulling out neatly folded papers from inside his suit jacket.

He snatched them out of the snake's hand, not even taking the time to read over them. "No one has given you the authority to draw up documents without my grandfather's consent. You had no right to do this behind our backs."

Sugoroku figured that he should now step in. "Yami...please hand those to me."

Yami was just about to talk him out of reading whatever was inside. But seeing the look on his face, a look that meant there was no room for arguments, made him reluctantly obey and give him the papers. He certainly did not like where this was going. Kentaro had become an infuriating thorn that refused to be removed.

Kentaro enjoyed watching the war Yami was having with himself. The cool, calm and collected detective was suddenly losing his tranquility. It was such a pleasure to see him fall apart. But for some reason, it wasn't enough. He wanted to see more of his anger, his rage. What would _really _set off that dangerous mood?

It was then that he noticed his waitress standing not too far away from the scene. He smirked at the irony. "Mazaki-chan, I didn't realize you were here."

Anzu witnessed everything from the minute Kentaro came into the shop. It appears that Kentaro may have a reputation in being a successful business man, but he also had a reputation in being the least favorite man in town. And judging from the way Yami and Mutou-san was reacting towards him, it was clear that Kentaro made a lot of visits here, but none of them were expected nor pleasant ones.

And now his attention was on her. Of course, she should give her greetings, considering that he was handling her paychecks. "Konbanwa, Nakashima-san," she muttered.

"Isn't this great? My three favorite people, all in the same room together. Too bad I didn't bring a bottle of sake with me," he placed an arm around Anzu shoulder, noticing that another set of shoulders were tensing up to the contact. "Did you both have the pleasure of meeting, Yami?"

His eyes swept to her, struggling to believe that she has connections with Kentaro. Surely, she knew that he was not someone to rely on. Or, to make it worse, maybe she _didn't _know. "You two know each other?" he asked to her.

"Of course we do," Kentaro answered, not realizing that the question wasn't directed to him. "Anzu Mazaki, my newest and splendidly beautiful waitress. She's becoming a personal favorite for my customers. They just absolutely _adore _her. I would love to continue talking more about how incredible she is, but time is money and I _do _need to set a deal with your grandfather." He took it upon himself to walk further into the shop, as if he already owned the place.

They were finally left alone. Yami was concerned as to how his grandfather would handle things with Kentaro, but he had no doubts that he would come out of it all right. For now, his interest was more focused on the woman in front of him.

_Anzu..._ he finally knew her name. The name, meaning the color of apricot, matched her perfectly.

"You're working for him?" he asked, walking closely to her, but being careful not to alarm her. She didn't answer him. In fact, she did not spare the second to even _look_ at him. Her lack of response, however, proved to him that it was true. "Listen to me...Kentaro Nakashima is not someone who should be trusted."

"Oh, and this is coming from the cop who I _already _don't trust," she said maliciously.

"I'm only looking out for your safety. He's not a man with good intentions."

Anzu conjured up a glare, becoming annoyed at being lectured about her judgement skills. "Do you think I need you telling me who I should watch out for? Nakashima-san can do a lot of things that people may not agree with, but...he gave me this job. Something he did not have to do."

Yami sighed, figuring that his words would not break through to her so easily. He only wanted for her to be cautious around Kentaro. She was fragile, even though she thought otherwise. People like Kentaro could easily take advantage of that.

"I shouldn't have come out on this stupid walk. It was a terrible idea," she said, preparing to leave.

"Terrible, you say?" he challenged her. "And you think keeping yourself locked away behind closed doors is better?" The way she stopped herself so suddenly made him believe that he hit a few accurate points.

Oh, why did he have to be so bold and say that? It was like he had a surveillance camera on her. She locked eyes with him again. No matter how many times she scowled at him, it never seemed to faze him. In fact, he only seemed to look at her with those soft eyes. A look filled with sympathy...and something else that she could not decipher right away.

He seemed genuine...but Anzu would not easily fall for it.

"I suggest that you worry about what's going on here in your shop, instead of worrying about what's going on in my life." Stepping away and leaving was her only suitable choice. Feeling afraid that if she glanced into his eyes a bit longer, she would become hypnotized by those eyes.

"Anzu-san, wait..." It was too late. The moment Yami tried to call her back, she was already out the door. He failed again in trying to get through to her. He wanted to run after her, but figured that he should reconsider the idea. Thinking that he would only end up adding more salt to the wound. Besides, she was very tenuous. Forcing reason upon her would just make things worse.

Right now, he needed to see what was happening with Kentaro and what he was pushing onto his grandfather. But just when fixing to move, Kentaro was coming his way. And he wasn't looking the same way he came in. His face was erased of the cocky smirk and replaced with a looked that was filled with rage and irritation. So, if he was bearing these emotions, then Yami could safely say that his grandfather handled himself pretty well. Just as he knew he would. Whatever offer that was presented was turned down completely.

There were no words exchanged between them. He was gladly watching Kentaro leaving defeated. Although, as he was leaving, he caught sight of something on his jacket that was a huge eyesore.

A silver pin that was in the shape of a dragon. It was the same design that was on the ring Yami was keeping as evidence. Were they both really the same? Kentaro was not one of his favorite people, but speculating so soon would not get him anywhere.

He would surely make certain to keep an eye on him, however.

* * *

**_Japanese terms_**

_Chotto matte kudasai - wait a moment, please_

_Ohayou - good morning  
_

_Konbanwa - good evening_

_Hai - yes_

_Iie - no_

_Gomen nasai - I'm sorry  
_

_Onegai - please_

_Ojii-chan - grandfather/grandpa_

_Kekkou desu - no, thank you_

_Sugoi - amazing_

_Arigatou - thank you_

_Dou itashimashite - you're welcome  
_


	6. Learning To Trust

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

_Chapter 6_

Another night of waiting tables and another night of dealing with pushy, inconsiderate beings. She would give anything just to be away from this raucous place and to be at home. Sipping a warm cup of tea and calming her rattling nerves while watching, what she knew to be, a beautiful night sky.

It appeared that Kentaro was hosting a big attraction tonight. It was much more crowded then it was the first day she began work. Some were gambling in one section, others were dancing provocatively in another. And those who were drowning themselves in that horrible liquid were flirting or _attempting _to flirt.

Whenever she stepped inside this night club, she was entering a world that felt foreign to her. Nothing and no one interested her. Looking upon everyone here, Anzu wondered how they could deal with a lifestyle such as this. Did they not have special things in their lives that had meaning to them? Or did they have dark secrets in their past that they'd never dealt with properly. Maybe they all had a darkness in them. So much, that it was impossible to break through.

It was different for her. Her darkness was consuming her, but not enough where she would commit her life to things such as this.

"Hey beautiful, are you gonna jot down my order?"

Anzu sighed, of course her train of thought would be interrupted by someone. She took out her notepad and faced the man who she was now serving. Watching the way he was reclined slightly in his seat, bearing one of those cocky smirks that she was growing to despise. "What can I get for you?" she asked in a strained, polite tone.

"Are you willing to give me _anything _I ask?" He was hinting something, she could automatically tell. He certainly wasn't the first. Those aberrant eyes, it was enough to make her ill. He was looking at her like a piece of meat, ready to devour.

Conceited bastard, she wanted to say to him, which would probably boost his ego more than insult him.

Nevertheless, no matter how despicable he is, she kept herself civilized as much as possible. "I see you are not ready, I'll just come back when you have decided." She could feel his eyes crawling so deep into her skin, that not even her relaxing showers would wash the stare away. She sighed, knowing that this was going to be a slow and irritating night for her. There was no telling what could happen with these shady men and women. If only she had the ability to speed up time.

Her attention was brought to the entrance, lazily watching as the building was becoming more rowdy by the minute. It would be a miracle if she was granted a break throughout this whole ruckus.

And then, she saw _him_.

Yes, there was no mistake. It was indeed Yami, entering inside the nightclub. She hadn't seen him in three weeks after her discussion with him. She had hoped to avoid him for a little longer. No such luck, it turned out. It seemed that he wasn't getting in so easily, but after showing that badge, he was granted inside with less difficulty than before.

She scoffed, just one flip of the badge and he suddenly controls everything. What was he doing here, she wondered. Surely, he was not here because of her. To try and convince her, again, that Kentaro was a skeptical man to trust. Worrying and pondering about it would not make the answer come easier for her. Because whatever the reason, Anzu knew there was no way she could avoid him.

It was her job, as a waitress, to serve _every_ customer.

The first step of his mission was a success so far. Yami was seated in the far corner, practically within the shadows, observing everything and everyone around him. His sights were sharp for wherever Kentaro may end up appearing next, but that didn't mean he would not study things elsewhere.

Like Anzu, for example.

It was so crowded, so he couldn't find her in anywhere. He figured that she would be working, considering how prevalent the place seemed to be tonight. Leave it to Kentaro to host something so big for the entire town to see and talk about. He just didn't feel right knowing that Anzu was caught in the middle of it. Especially from his sudden discovery. He needed to find her. If she would not come to him, then he would _go _to her.

Leaving his seat and sidestepping around all of the intoxicated dancers was more of a challenge than it sounded. He was constantly being pushed or felt up on. No innocent person, such as Anzu, should have to put up with this sort of employment. Yami knew little about her, but he knew enough to see what a decent person she was, despite all of the cold shoulders she had been giving him.

Finally, after struggling through the overgrowing crowd, he spotted her. For a moment, he just stared at her. He didn't give her any sense of notice yet, but as he watched her, she seemed tensed whenever she was addressed to. He scanned the room to where other men were sitting, their eyes beaming onto her like a prey in the headlights. And even through the loud music, he could hear the vulgar words they were using to speak about Anzu. Lacking complete respect for her. It made him feel ashamed that those fools were a part of the human race. They had no spark of compassion within them. Yes, Yami could admit that she was a very beautiful sight to see. He knew that the moment he first laid eyes on her. Any man would agree. But he would certainly _not _agree with the way she was being portrayed as some pretty, play thing. She wasn't a toy for display or entertainment. For the first time since he's been here, Yami had a glimpse at how Anzu was dealing with the pressures of having to work here.

He stepped up to the bar to take a seat on the stool and continued to watch her. Her back was turned, so Yami had a few free minutes of observing how she was handling everything. She was a hardworking woman, indeed. A place such as this, she shouldn't be wasting her valuable time and energy on.

And then their eyes met.

Her expression showed that she was astounded, but not as much as Yami had expected. She still carried that familiar glare that had been made especially for him. Kami, what he wouldn't give to know what was behind those sapphire, ocean eyes that were entirely dull and screaming for light. What was her story, he wondered?

She placed down her serving tray and pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, "I'll be with you in a second," she replied as politely as possible.

"It's all right," he issued her a smile, "take your time. How have you been?"

Anzu looked up for a millisecond before picking up her tray again. "Look, now that Nakashima-san had spilled the beans on where I work, I hope this doesn't mean that you're going to be checking in on me whenever you feel it's convenient - "

"Whoa, hey...easy. Please don't summon your claws or make that glare any more meaner than it already is," he replied, trying to coax her into smiling from his little joke. But seeing as it wasn't working, Yami cleared his throat and continued, "I'm here on police business."

Anzu muttered, "Of course you are." She came out from behind the bar to head back into the crowded confusion.

She was leaving again. Other times, Yami would have given her space and left the matter alone, hoping that it would cool down and he would somehow work up the opportunity to talk to her again.

Not this time.

He would not let this slide anymore. He expertly pulled her aside, masterfully taking the tray from her hand before it was dropped onto the floor and lead her into a semi-quiet area away from any onlookers or distractions. He didn't want anyone or anything disrupting them. Struggling was expected on her part, but he refused to let her go.

"Have you seriously gone mental?" she asked, not looking for an actual answer.

Although, Yami hadn't planned on giving her one. He just simply ignored the question and held her by her forearms. "Having the knowledge that I'm a cop, does it really bother you that much? You didn't have a problem in talking with me the day we met." She looked away from him, refusing to say anything. But Yami knew...there was nothing that she could say. "In fact...it was the _only _time that I've ever seen you smile. Why does me carrying a badge have to change that?"

Anzu felt the walls closing in on her for every correct assumption that Yami made. It also forced her to remember the heartache she had suffered through before she came here. Her whole reason as to why she packed up her things and moved to this town. Even her nightmares were mixing into the chaotic bubble. And to make matters worse, her resistance from him was weakening. Something that she was hoping would never happen. She didn't want him seeing her vulnerable side that was meant to be hidden.

"I just want to forget," she could feel the salty tears escaping her eyes. She did not remember when they've started. "Just make it all go away..."

It was all clear to him now. Anzu was dealing with something so tragic, that it was tearing her apart from the inside. Suffering from a very heartbreaking tale. He watched as she struggled to keep her emotions from spilling over. What he was doing to her was not helping at all. He, of all people, should know that when a person is in a state like this, it was not wise to pressure anything out.

He felt guilty. He was only intending to help her...but instead, he made the situation worse. He had no right in asking her so many questions.

He sighed regretfully and slowly released her arms, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't be pushing you into opening up to me. It is not fair for you, clearly because we know nothing about each other."

"You bastard, is this some kind of game to you?" she asked, gritting her teeth without bothering to hide her tears. "You pry yourself into my business, getting my emotions riled up, only to back out and apologize? Why do you spend the unnecessary energy?"

Yami had no good way of answering her. He didn't feel that the time and energy on her was worthless and it certainly was no sort of game for him. It was just all of the signs she was giving off reminded him, so much, on how he'd became three years ago. She did not realize how similar the two of them were.

He could see someone approaching them from the corner of his eye. _Damn it. _His time with Anzu was shortening, but seeing that it was Kentaro, Yami had no choice but to end the conversation with her for now. He was here for other reasons.

"Mazaki-chan, would you _kindly_ inform me as to why I am getting constant complaints from the customers?" he asked in a gruff tone. It wasn't until he realized that Yami was also gracing his presence to him as well. Quickly, a smooth smirk slid across his face and he straightened his suit jacket to look more professional. "Ah, what a surprise seeing you here, detective. Why don't you allow Mazaki-chan to get you a drink?" he cut his eyes over to Anzu, making sure that she followed his order correctly.

"Actually, Kentaro, that will not be necessary. I wouldn't want to take away Anzu-san's precious time," Yami replied, softly glancing at her as she walked back to the bar to grab the forgotten tray.

"Well then," Kentaro began, not missing the interaction between the detective and his waitress, "what can I do for you? Since you're not here for the party, you must be here for something related to that stuffy job of yours."

"Got it on the first guess. I'm sure that you are aware of the mysterious deaths that have occurred within the last few months now, correct?"

"Who isn't aware of it?" Kentaro answered the question with a question.

Yami squinted his eyes in suspicion, carefully observing Kentaro's body movements. "Exactly...so, I am certain that you've heard of the woman who was recently found dead a few weeks ago."

Anzu couldn't help but listen to the conversation behind her. Yes, she was also aware of the innocent woman who was killed. It brought a lot of fear to the town, knowing that there was someone running around taking lives just for their gruesome pleasure. It was despicable to her. How could someone be so cruel as to murder another human life? Did they not have a conscience? There were times that she asked herself that question whenever she thought about the way Syia was killed. How that intoxicated driver had carelessly hit her son, without showing any remorse. It angered her. She was sure that he was serving a good amount of time for his crime, but he wasn't the only one to blame. Ronin would always be the one she would put at fault for what had happened.

Looking over her shoulder discreetly, Anzu glanced at the way Yami was looking at Kentaro. It was the first time, since she met him, that he'd looked so... focused and determined to find out the answers he was seeking. He didn't have those same gentle eyes that he would offer to her. His stare was hard, no spark of emotion was ignited within his pupils. He was like a whole different person. Even with the way Yami was staring him down, Kentaro was not affected. How could he be so calm? Maybe those two had history that Kentaro was used to the stares. And then she remembered the interaction that occurred in the game shop. The way he just waltzed in and claimed to have some 'incredible' deal in his hands. She didn't stay long enough to know what the outcome was...but even though she was having issues with Yami, she hoped that whatever decision his grandfather made, was the right one.

He was silent for a split moment, but he quickly regained his confident ensemble, "I don't recall hearing about that. When you are running a successful business, you don't pay too much attention to the news."

"Really?" Yami said in an act of shock, "It's been broadcast all over town, throughout the city. Everyone seems to know about it. You mean to tell me that you haven't processed _any_ of this information?" he asked, challenging him.

"Is there some reason why I'm being pressured with these questions?"

"I just want to know why you're so naive to such important news. Unless...you have something to hide."

Kentaro chuckled, "Well, that's a barbaric and far-fetched conclusion you've come up with, detective. If you're done playing _Cops and Robbers_, I would like to get back to my club."

He didn't get too far, Yami wouldn't allow it. "Interesting pin you have on your jacket." Just as he predicted, Kentaro stayed rooted in his spot. Making no attempts of leaving after hearing the sudden compliment. "A dragon...you must be fond of them." Yami pulled the small plastic bag from out of his jacket pocket with the ring that was contained inside. "It just so happens that this ring here has the same exact design on it. Sterling silver...I say it has some value to it. Look familiar to you?"

Kentaro ogled at the bag that was suddenly presented from Yami. And after a few minutes of silent ogling, he smirked. "Is that your latest discovery, detective? A ring? I'm appalled that this was the best you came up with."

"You're tiptoeing around my question. Am I to assume that you _are _familiar with this ring? Or, to make it more direct, that this ring belongs to you?"

"Let me guess, you found this at the crime scene." When Yami did not speak, it was confirmed that his guess was accurate. "Yami...you ought to know better than to question me without my lawyer present. Not that I need one, but what you're insinuating about this is simply outrageous. Come on...this is a huge coincidence. You mysteriously find a ring and suddenly it's lead back to me? Because what, I'm so obsessed with dragons? I think you're starting to slip," the smirk was far from his lips. He was enjoying the fact that he was in the conquering position.

He took a quick glance at his watch, planning to make a grand exit. "I do need to get back to my office, meeting with a few my associates. Feel free to stick around if you wish. Mazaki-chan, do be a dear and bring some drinks up for my guests."

Yami watched him arrogantly walking away, managing to slither his way of out his questions so quickly. This was the disadvantage that he despised. The ring was a good clue, excellent for evidence, but without the correct DNA, it was useless. Maybe the ring and the pin Kentaro carried _were_ just similar items with no connection.

But it only troubled him more. He wasn't certain if he should let this theory slip away so easily.

There was nothing he could do at this point...but to leave, where he couldn't help but catch Anzu staring at him a bit through her hair. He knew that she overheard everything that was exchanged between him and Kentaro. He was surprised, however. She wasn't giving him the same glares or the icy looks like before. Instead, she looked...slightly confused. As if she was not sure on what to believe anymore. He deeply felt for her.

He sighed inaudibly, wishing there was something he could say or do to apologize again for his actions. But the only logical thing he could do was to smile for her. "Onegai...be careful tonight, okay?"

He walked away, just like that. And if he'd glanced back one last time, he would have seen the way she was staring at him so differently.

Anzu lost sight of him disappearing in the crowd. She was tempted to call him back, to ask and have him explain if he really thought that Kentaro was a suspect. He was a scum for a lot of things, but was he really capable of murder? Surely, she would have picked up any sort of suspicious behavior from him if that was the case. She had been working for Kentaro for weeks now. And though he was a pompous, arrogant, sketchy character, that wasn't enough to mark him as a killer.

But she didn't know. She had no proof to make any accusations. It was just new thoughts slithering into her mind after hearing Yami questioning him.

No time to wonder about it anymore. She had a job to do. Grabbing the full bottle of sake and a few sipping glasses, Anzu dodged her way through the horde of people, finding her way to the stairs that would lead her to the upper part of club. Away from the vibrating music that was making her head pound and the insane civilians who were losing themselves.

She felt a bit relieved from the muffled silence. She could still hear the noise, but not as much. Her body fell back against the wall, carefully maneuvering the tray in front of her as she took the deepest breath she could muster. Kentaro's office was just down the hall and he was not expecting her to arrive right away. Clearly thinking that she was assisting customers, still. Of course, Anzu was going to take advantage of the free minutes that she may not receive for the rest of the evening. It was nice to have that time for herself.

As much as she wanted to stay here, within her quiet thoughts, she had a job to complete. So, reluctantly, she pushed herself off the wall and made her way through the long hallway. She made a right once she reached the corner and found a few doors on both sides of the halls. She never knew what those doors led to, but the one at the far end was the one Kentaro made as his office. She was just about to knock, signaling of her arrival, but her hand stayed in midair once she heard some voices from inside.

_"I thought I'd informed you to take care of that little task."_

It was Kentaro's voice. It seemed that he was talking to one of those "guests" he had invited upstairs. But he sounded so different than before. His voice had a bit of a...creepy, malicious tone to it.

_"I-I did...I made sure no one saw me, I swear!"_

Something was wrong. Something was off. Just what exactly was Kentaro speaking about to make someone feel so apprehensive to be in that room? Curiosity getting the best of her, Anzu slowly and quietly turned the doorknob, opening it enough where she could peek inside. What she saw was both Kentaro and the man being interrogated by him.

_"Well, apparently, you didn't do a very good job in keeping yourself discreet while you were handling it. I was just questioned by a cop earlier. A very _irritating _one, if I may add, and he found the ring that you had carelessly lost."_

The ring...yes, she remembers now. The one that Yami was questioning Kentaro about. He had been constantly jumping back and forth to avoid answering where the ring came from. So, it wasn't just a coincidence. There was definitely a connection. Anzu was becoming frightened by every little detail she was learning. She watched as Kentaro stood from his huge chair and walk around his desk. He didn't stop until he was about five feet in front of the man who was quivering in his shoes.

_"This has caused __quite a mess for me," _he slowly replied, "_and I don't like messes that I have to clean up. Now, I am being suspected of murder. How am I suppose to fix this?"_

_"Please, Nakashima-san!"_ The man fell to his knees, begging for mercy, _"I know I was sloppy, but if you give me another chance to -"_

_"That is where we're going to have a problem. If you were able to do your job properly, there wouldn't be a need for second chances."_ Anzu had a feeling that something would not go very well. Considering the fact that Kentaro was eyeing the man very strangely.

And just as she predicted, her eyes widened when he reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a hand gun. He aimed it right at his target, not showing an sort of remorse for what he was about to do.

_"No! P-please! I'll do anything!" _She watched the way he was begging for his life. This wasn't happening.

But it was...and Kentaro bore the sickest, insane smirk that made him enjoy what he thought was a game. _"That won't be necessary...your services are no longer needed."_

Without giving anymore warnings, Kentaro fired the gun, causing Anzu to bite her lip in order to keep herself from screaming. The gun was silent, making it impossible for anyone to know what was happening up here.

Unbelievable...it was true. Based on what she heard, Kentaro was responsible for the death of that woman. And she had witnessed him killing the man that was suppose to cover up the murder. To keep the suspicions from leading back to him.

She had to get help. She couldn't risk herself going into that room.

Stepping slowly away from the door was all she needed to do, then she could dash away unnoticed.

But she did not get very far. Her back bumped into something hard, and she caught a glance at a bulky man behind her. He quickly grabbed her and covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to escape. The sake tray dropped, causing the bottle to smash and the contents to spill onto the floor. She was sure that Kentaro had heard the sudden noise.

The door opened. He was standing there with a murderous glint in his eye. Her heart was racing where now it was threatening to pop out of her chest.

And to this point, there was no one around to help her.

* * *

Yami sat in his car and stared at the flashing lights that were constantly blinking from Kentaro's night club. After his interrogation with him, he couldn't find the ability to leave for some reason. He replayed the scene in his head, remembering the different reactions Kentaro was making as he was being questioned. He was being too confident and too cocky. And frankly, he despised at how the whole ordeal went down.

But he couldn't leave. And even _he _didn't know why. His instincts were telling him to stay and keep watch of anything suspicious. Yami wasn't ready to erase Kentaro off just yet. There were still plenty of holes that needed to be filled. And with Anzu in the mix of it...no, out of the question. He refused to allow anything to happen to her. He truly did not want to leave her alone. Whether he understood it or not, he was worried for her well-being.

Why? Again, he did not know.

However, after tonight...he was certain. The pain and sorrow he felt from her was there, in plain sight. She was broken; shattered. The more he thought about it, the more guiltier he was by pushing her into opening up. That was not the best option. He only hoped there was some way to make it up to her.

He took another glance at the ring, and all he could feel was the pent up frustration that he was trying to keep at bay. How was he suppose to feel when there were so many dead ends he kept running into? Out of irritation, he threw the ring on the passenger's seat, knowing that it was useless. He also punched the steering wheel. It made him feel a little better, but then he groaned in annoyance when the folders he carried in the flap above his head fell onto his lap. Papers were mixed up and spread everywhere. It took him a few minutes, but he managed to get every sheet back in order again.

The background information of the three deceased women. He scanned through every page as he was placing them back together. Studying every detail and every word, he literally memorized it all.

But he noticed something new in this discovery. All three of them were wearing the same wardrobe.

A white blouse and a black mini skirt.

Looking under the occupation of each, it was confirmed that each woman was working as a waitress.

That was their connection. Along with the ring, all of the pieces were coming together. And he remembered Anzu...she was wearing the _exact _same uniform. Which meant that she was in danger, something that he was afraid of assuming.

"Shit!" Yami scrambled to pull out his phone and hit Jounouchi's number on speed dial. He was muttering for him to hurry and answer. Never in his life did he feel so relieved to have him pick up for once.

"Jou, I need you to gather a team and meet me at Nakashima's nightclub. I don't have time to explain..." he glared up at the building with burning, crimson eyes, "but I may have finally solved this case."

* * *

Struggling through her restraints, Anzu was finding it useless to do as she was forced inside the room. Her eyes were directed over to the man's limp body on the floor, blood dripping from his skull where the bullet had penetrated. She had to clamp them shut to remove the gruesome scene from her vision, but even with her eyes closed, she could still picture the shooting in her mind. She knew that after this experience, nothing truly _will not _be the same for her again. Witnessing a death before her very eyes was not a luxury she wanted to have.

Now that she had witnessed it, she was wondering how far Kentaro would take it. He would do absolutely anything if it meant saving himself. To take the suspicion away from him and everything that was connected with him.

And Yami had warned her.

He warned her that Kentaro was not someone to place her trust in. Part of her knew that, but his generosity in giving her a job blinded her to see real reason. She refused to listen to someone...who was a badge carrier and dedicated his life to authority. She could only imagine what he'd think of her now...seeing her in this predicament.

"Anzu-chan..." she hated the way her name sounded from his lips, "my, what _lovely _timing you have. Such a shame that my good sake is sinking into my carpet."

She glanced over to the body again, her eyes betraying her into looking at the horrible sight. She forced herself to look away. And the most mind-boggling thing Kentaro could talk about was his sake?

It was true. All of it. The doubts were erased from her mind like the chalk from a blackboard.

"You're the killer," she stated, her voice crackling as she tried to find her composure.

"It would be best of you to watch what you're accusing me of."

"I _heard_ every word you said! It was all you...and you've just proven how guilty you are by murdering again!" She whimpered as she felt her lungs being crushed as Kentaro's lackey gripped her tighter. Making any attempts at struggling to break free, useless. "What gives you the right to commit such heinous acts?"

He approached her casually, taking a hold of her chin, "How sweet of you...showing such compassion for others."

"Don't you dare patronize me," she ripped herself from out of his hand. The same hand that took away a life that may have been going down the wrong path, but all in all...it was still a life. "From the moment I've met you, I knew there was something cryptic about you. Not once did I think you were capable of something like this."

Kentaro smirked, as if her words meant nothing but a sign of praise. "When you have people discovering things that are not meant for them to know, it is only fair that they pay for it with their lives. It's a less messier way to keep things under control. I have a reputation to uphold. Can't having people spouting accusations and lies around."

"But it's not a lie!" Anzu yelled, glaring at him like he was the worst piece of scum on the planet. "You _take _lives away just so your secrets can be kept under wraps? Do you qualify this as justification for what you've done? You are a cruel, cold-hearted man. Is there even a _spark _of humanity left in you?"

His only response was chuckling, seeing that he didn't care about anything she said. Anzu hated people like him. Laughing at someone's misery. It was simply wicked of him. It brought her back to remember the man who was driving the car that struck down Syia. He was also uncaring as to what he'd done. He was in an intoxicated state, but he was still aware of everything and everyone around him. He was taken away with the thought of the crime being nothing serious than a damn traffic ticket.

She placed Ronin into the same category. The way he carelessly allowed her son to get hurt. To die in her arms when she tried to keep Syia with her. He didn't show any compassion the night she lashed out at him, right in front of Syia's grave.

No...he just walked away. Leaving her in a crumpled, emotional mess.

Anzu swore that this time, she would not let another terrible person get away with their misdeeds. In the memory of her little boy, she would put an end to it. Starting right now with Kentaro. She needed to find some sort of escape route. The guy still holding her wasn't giving up his crushing grip, making it impossible for her to move. The option of screaming was out of the question. With the loud commotion and the blasting music coming from down below, it was a pointless attempt.

"Oh, Anzu-chan...you really were my favorite waitress, but you do realize that I can't let you leave. You simply know too much," Kentaro walked around behind his desk again, pulling one of his drawers open to retrieve something from inside.

"And what are you going to do?" she continue to struggle, no matter how difficult it seemed, "Kill me like you did to the others?"

Holding up a strange looking bottle caused Anzu's heart to race faster than normal. Reading the contents, she was certain that whatever was in that bottle was what Kentaro used on his victims. She was petrified. She watched as he peeled away everything she had knew about him, only to be transformed into a psychotic being.

"How did you guess?"

Even before she could scream, hoping that it was somehow heard through the erupting noise from below, Anzu felt a pressure hit at the back of her neck. Darkness was the only thing she could grasp onto.

* * *

Patience was running thin for Yami. Since his call to Jounouchi, he had been getting uneasy vibrations from being forced to undergo this agonizing wait. His instincts were telling him that something bizarre was happening within the club. He was tempted to go in alone, but if he did, his strategy may not turn out the way he planned it.

The blaring headlights confirmed that the cavalry had arrived. Jounouchi's car was followed by three police cruisers. It was officially time to get in gear and put this case to a close. Yami knew that even though it sounded easy, he was taking very big risks here. Things may go wrong at the slightest second and he had to think quickly and strategically to make sure everyone made it out of this safely.

His partner approached him along with two other officers, ready to know all about how Yami cracked the case. "So, what'cha got?"

Yami slammed down and opened each folder he had been reading and studying over and over again for weeks, "The victims who were murdered had been working here as waitresses. I have reason to believe that the man who owns this club is the killer we've been looking for."

"Are you referring to Kentaro Nakashima?" one of the officers asked, but scoffed when the very thought was ludicrous. "You're speculating."

Yami glanced at him from the corner of his eye, feeling his fury burning more. "Excuse me?"

"Come on, Mutou, what do you have that points to Nakashima? There isn't enough evidence that proves that he or anyone else had committed the murders. And we all know that you have it out for the guy. Are you sure you're not letting your personal feelings get in the way of your professional judgement?"

Jounouchi shook his head and turned away. "Big mistake there, bud," he muttered to himself.

And a big mistake it was, indeed. Questioning Yami's theories and findings was the same as going up against a erupting volcano. It wasn't the first time he was challenged. There were a few doubters on the force that were never impressed in seeing how Yami handled things. This officer was one of them. He was the type to talk a big game, but when it came time for action, he just sat back until the job was done. Then he's the first to quickly take the credit for the completed work.

But Yami would not let him or anyone make a fool out of him. He stood behind everything he believed in. "Let me make this clear for you. You weren't the one gathering clues in this case, you didn't give any helpful inputs and you _certainly _did not spend countless days and nights trying to uncover missing pieces. That job was left in the hands of myself, Katsuya, the forensics team and witnesses that I've questioned. Now, I have gathered you all here because there is a woman inside who could be in the brink of danger and doesn't even know it yet. If you even _dare _to jeopardize this chance in bringing this guy down, I will make sure that your ass is fried for this. I'm not going to let another woman's life be gambled because of your ridiculous accusations towards me. So, you can either cooperate and follow the instructions that are given to you...or you can just get out of the way and let the rest of us work on bringing this case to an end."

They were both caught in a glaring match, but the officer was clearly at a disadvantage against Yami's fiery crimson eyes. "I'll scout the perimeter for anything suspicious." With that, he silenced his trap and went off to his task until he was given something new to do.

Jounouchi whistled in a low tune, feeling impressed with the way his best friend handled himself. "I can't say he didn't deserve it...because he _sure _had it coming." He expected no comment to come from Yami, but he could certainly feel the anger radiating from him.

He only sighed, there was no point in asking if he was okay. They still had a job to do. Whether it would bring them to another dead end or finally finding the culprit, Yami would always have his support. His instincts were much more accurate than anyone else he has ever known. He had complete faith in him.

"So, what's our plan?" he asked.

When Yami was calm with a clear head again, he replayed his strategy so it was clear enough to understand. "While the others are guarding the outside, you and I are going to head inside. Once we're in, you are going to find the waitress who is working tonight...and I'm going after Nakashima."

"Wait...Yami, let's think about this for a sec. This is a huge risk that you're taking."

"We don't have _time _to think about it, Jou," he replied in a exasperated tone, "I am aware of the risk, but it's a risk that I'm willing to take. I won't let Nakashima kill her."

Jounouchi was confused as to whom Yami was referring to as "her". He's certain there was something his friend was keeping to himself. That was a discussion that he'd planned to have with him. In the meantime, he needed to get Yami into rethinking his plan. "How about we bring in someone else to help us look for her? That way, I can back you up into searching for Nakashima."

"Every second we continue discussing this, is more time for Nakashima. We need to do this now." He stopped a random officer before Jounouchi had a chance to argue the situation further. "I need you to guard the entrance the minute Katsuya and I enter the building. Once we're inside, no one is to go in or out unless they are authorized to, is that understood?" When the order was clear enough for the officer, Yami and Jounouchi made their move.

They both had their artillery ready. Nothing had changed when Yami had left the club. The place was still rowdy with out of control people who couldn't control themselves under the influence. None of them were his concern, he looked through the crowd in hopes of seeing those wavy, chestnut locks or those sapphire pupils floating around anywhere. Every second his heart would sink lower and lower when he did not see Anzu. She would usually be serving one of these low-lives or organizing things at the bar, but he couldn't spot her in either direction. He knew that she didn't leave. He was watching the entrance all night.

He gestured for Jounouchi to follow him to where the bartender was creating some drinks for a very tipsy couple. The two were keeping each others balance, which was not working very well since they'd constantly pushed against the other. It was a displeasing sight, but Yami could care less to what any of these people in here did with their lives. He was only concerned in finding Anzu.

After the couple was satisfied with tainting more of their insides, Yami grabbed the bartender's attention. The man seemed a bit irritated from his point of view, but none of that mattered to him. "The waitress who is working tonight, can you tell me where she is?"

"Listen, buddy," he said in a gruff tone, "every guy here has been asking about her all night. If you want to have a rump in the hay with her, find her yourself. I don't care where she is and I don't get paid to care."

That answer had nearly sent Yami to the deep end. It disgusted him that Anzu was being looked upon as more of a pleasure toy than a human being. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. He wanted to show this guy exactly what his motives truly are. Pulling out his badge got the message through very well, judging from the appalled expression that was carelessly placed upon his face.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't put myself or my partner into the same category as those guys you've dealt with tonight. We are here on another matter. I have reason to believe that your boss is a prime suspect to an ongoing murder case. Now, I will ask you again..._where _is the waitress who is working here tonight?" Yami had enunciated the question, making it certain that he wanted a real answer.

"Right...my apologies. The last time I saw that Mazaki girl, she was taking something up to Nakashima's office."

"And how long ago was that?" Jounouchi decided to speak this time.

"I don't know...about maybe thirty or forty minutes ago. Since I was busy with the customers, I didn't see or even notice if she came back down."

"Where is Nakashima's office?" Yami's fears were beginning to arise, but he needed to have faith that nothing happened to Anzu. The bartender pointed over to the side, a section which was barely noticeable to the naked eye. He gave a nod of thanks and headed to the directions of the stairs that would lead him upstairs. The further he went up, the quieter it became. Yami was thankful, but also nervous by how suspiciously silent it was. If Anzu was up here, he hoped that no harm was placed on her.

The moment they had reached the top of the stairs, they kept their backs up against the wall. Their guns were gripped tightly, ready to fire when anything threatening decided to pop out. Jounouchi noticed the way Yami would tense every second. They've handled positions like this before, but Yami was never this edgy before. He was always calculated, more precise. Now, he just looked worried.

"Hey...I get that Nakashima is the biggest bastard in the universe, but something tells me there's more to it." When Yami wouldn't give an answer, it confirmed what he was suspecting. "Is it that girl? Do you know her?"

Yami sighed, no point in keeping what was going to revealed. "We have met recently...and in a way, I've been trying to look out for her."

That was enough for Jounouchi to understand. Wanting to bring some hope to his friend, he placed a reassuring hand on Yami's shoulder. "I'm sure she's okay. Let's not think the worst, alright?"

He was listening and trying to soak in the words, to set his mind at rest, but Yami couldn't shake off his worry. He believed that Anzu was okay, he just hated that she may have been pulled into this unwillingly. He just hoped for her safety. That she was still...alive.

Going down the hallways was proving to become a bit of a task. He was nervous, afraid and excited all in one. The door at the far end of the hall caught his attention. Considering that it was the only one opened slightly and light was pouring through the crack. Yami gave Jounouchi a signal to stay silent as they both approached the door. Yami slowly moved towards the open area tried to listen. Nothing was heard on the other side, except little bits of broken sentences here and there.

Taking a few more easy steps, Yami boldly pushed the door open a little further, trying to get a glance at who was inside and what was happening.

He saw her.

Anzu was there, in a limp state, held by some man who was undoubtedly working for Kentaro.

And there _he _was.

Standing right in front of Anzu, with the most sickest smirk Yami had ever came across in his entire time as a cop. His eyes descended to his hand, where a suspicious bottle was held in a protective grip. His heart rate sped up as he realized that that bottle contained the cyanide poison Kentaro used on the murder victims.

And Anzu wasn't moving...could Kentaro have really killed her?

That thought only brought rage into his soul. Yami took a step back and kicked in the door so hard, he swore the hinges had came right off when it flew against the wall. His gun was poised, aimed right at the junction point of Kentaro's neck. Just one shot would kill him instantly. He then noticed a body sprawled on the floor, blood pouring right through a bullet wound on the head. He could tell that the man was dead.

"Make one move, Nakashima, and I won't hesitate to shoot," he warned him in a cold, distant tone.

"Yami...didn't expect to see _you_ so soon," Kentaro replied, giving a slight shift in his direction. Yami was so tempted to pull the trigger. "I guess the cat's out of the bag."

The cocky composure was still present upon him. He was taking pleasure in everyone's pain. "Release Anzu-san. _Now!_"

Nothing was said after the order was given, but after waiting for what seem like a lifetime, Kentaro gave the authority to his employer to let go of Anzu. Yami quickly moved to catch her, seeing as she would have been dropped carelessly on the floor like a lifeless doll.

_Lifeless..._he wasn't certain if she was still alive. He may have arrived too late to save her. When he looked down at Anzu, his hand found her soft cheek, hoping that Kentaro did not tremendously hurt her. How could anyone hurt someone so beautiful? She gave him the cold shoulder whenever he saw her, but deep down, Yami could tell that she had a kind heart. It was there. She just did not reveal it to him, due to the inner pain she was dealing with.

And now this happened...oh, he would see to it that Kentaro paid for every person he hurt and tortured throughout this entire case.

The agony was overflowing, Yami had to make sure Anzu was alive. To his relief, she still had a pulse and was breathing as if she were fast asleep. But her being unconscious was proving to be a concern for him. What caused her to fall into this state? A question that needed no calculation or any type of investigation for him to figure out. Crimson eyes _burned _on the man who stood with no compassion.

"Jounouchi, I'm entrusting Anzu-san to you. Inform one of the guys that we need a paramedics team ASAP," he stood after making sure Anzu was safe, because he needed to focus on what to do with the load of slime who took the form of a male human. "What did you do to her?"

"Technically, I didn't do anything to her. But if you had not made your _grand _entrance, I would have," he replied, smirking from the tension creating in the room.

Yami growled, quickly charging to restrain Kentaro before anyone could read his movements. He grabbed the collar of his shirt, thrusting him brutally against the wall while expertly removing his gun from his holster. Kentaro's lackey saw this and he also took out his own gun, aiming and planning to shoot him. Seeing this, Yami swiftly shot the weapon from out of his hand before he could even pull the trigger. "Hands where I can see them," he violently hissed.

Both hands were slowly raised to surrender, giving Jounouchi the initiative to arrest him for his interference.

There were no more interruptions to worry about. Yami was faced with the confrontation he had wanted for a very long time since Kentaro entered into his life, but this time, it wasn't _just_ about his grandfather's shop anymore. Now, it involved the lives he'd taken and the woman who was passed out on the floor.

His crimson eyes squinted in fury, "I am aware of the fact that my second arrival tonight was a bit of a surprise for you. Judging by how the scene appears and from the time gap I've received from your bartender, Anzu-san witnessed something that you wanted to keep under wraps. That's how you killed your waitresses. They've stumbled upon some information you were afraid would leak out. Just how many skeletons _are _you keeping in your closet, Nakashima?"

Kentaro wasn't fazed by Yami's discovery nor his intimidation. "Sugoi...just how much time did you waste in figuring out everything? I have to admit, I'm very impressed. Do you want to know what _else _impresses me? To see how riled up you're getting just to protect one particular woman. If I knew that you would get _this _agitated, I would have had some interesting, pleasant times with Anzu."

That comment caused Yami to hit Kentaro's jaw with the barrel part of his gun, feeling a little satisfied by the blood leaking from his mouth, but he wanted to cause more harm. "You are to _NEVER_ have Anzu-san's name slip from your mouth again!"

Anzu moaned in discomfort from the ache she was suddenly feeling. Her head felt so heavy that there wasn't any way for her to barely support it. She could not decipher as to how long she was out for, but all she wanted to do was rest some more and hope for the pain in her neck and head to disappear. There were two things keeping her from getting that peaceful rest. She was laying on the hard floor, first of all, and second...she was awaken by a voice that was filled with so much rage, a voice that sounded a little familiar to her.

She forced her eyes to open and tried to remember the last thing that happened to her. Pieces of tonight were slowly coming together and she came to the realization that someone purposely knocked her unconscious. Which explains the throbbing pain that was bothering her neck. When her vision was of use to her again, her first glance landed on a blond haired man restraining, who she remembered to be, Kentaro's lackey.

_Kentaro..._

Yes, it was all coming back to her. She thought that the minute she was out cold, he would make his move and kill her...but she was still alive. Her eyes began to focus more onto the room and she was shocked to see Yami and Kentaro in a physical clash. Anzu moved to sit up and witnessed more to the way Yami was glaring so maliciously. The crimson eyes he had carried earlier in the evening were present once again. Only this time, they were more intense. It was as if he had a split personality that was never revealed before.

"You've already taken enough lives, Nakashima, but I will not allow you to hurt another innocent life. As long as I'm breathing, I vow to keep Anzu-san away from your murdering hands."

He sounded so passionate about his vow, too. Why was he doing this for her? Better yet, why was she sitting here _letting _him do this for her? Her feelings about him had not changed. He was a cop. And in her point of view, cops were all the same. They cared about nothing except for throwing their laws around. Like they were high and mighty. When times came when help was needed, they talk about bringing justice for the innocent. No...those words were nothing but lies.

She stared at Yami, watching him getting so angry from Kentaro's misdeeds, and as she sits here...she wondered if she could really continue to believe that.

"You vow to stop me?" Kentaro began to taunt. "Why don't you just kill me? That is what you've been wanting to accomplish for a long time now, isn't it? Now's your chance, Yami. Let us see how fucking daring you are."

The gun was slowly moving to point directly at Kentaro's head. He was seriously considering taking his life. Just as he's taken the lives of others. He brought terror to Anzu. What right did he have to stay alive?

"Don't do it, man...he's trying to get under your skin again," Jounouchi said, not liking the way his best friend was looking now. "Come on, Yami, you're nothing like him. Don't do the same thing _he's _been doing to those victims."

The gun was loaded, his finger was twitching on the trigger. Just one, tiny squeeze would end it.

"Stop!"

That melodious voice caused him to follow the order, Yami had not realized that Anzu awoken. She looked completely upset; broken. Guilt was building within the depths of his soul. She was already exposed enough to whatever Kentaro had said and done in front of her.

Anzu hugged herself so tightly as if she was trying to create her very own shield. It was too much for her. The violence, the deaths..._all _of it. How she wished that every bit of it would end. She glance up to Yami, bearing watery eyes that made her sapphire eyes look like a wavy ocean. "Please...just stop, okay? I've seen enough bloodshed...don't make any more of it."

After hearing her plea, how could Yami _not _grant her wish? She was brokenhearted enough. _More _than enough. Kentaro just made the damage in her heart so much worse. Killing him would only deepen the wound. Yes, he would love to see the scumbag dead on the floor by his hands. Seeing him withering in pain and paying for every single thing he's done to his family and the families of others. But the way Anzu was staring at him, how she was on the verge of tears...that weighed more than his sweet revenge.

He lowered his gun and turned the safety on. Although, the gun was placed securely back into his holster, that did not mean Kentaro was set free from his grip. In fact, he swung him around until he was slammed face forward into the wall, satisfied when he heard a grunt afterward. He pulled his arms together around his back and placed the handcuffs tightly around his wrist. Yami planned to show no mercy.

"Nakashima Kentaro, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. If you choose to give up that right and make a statement, anything you say may be used against you in the court of law. You also have the right to have an attorney present while you are questioned and during any statement you choose to make. I'm certain that you understand these rights _perfectly_."

* * *

Finally, he was being taken away, but it was the same time when other officers decided to show up and scout around Kentaro's office for all of the evidence that would send him away for a very long time.

Yami was just finishing up with a few things, knowing that when he arrived to the station, there would be even more things to do. He only stayed because he wanted to be sure that Anzu was fine. The paramedics arrived to cater to the deceased body, which was retrieved minutes after Kentaro was placed in police custody. The club was evacuated immediately and shut down until further notice.

He stood on the side and watched as Honda Hiroto, one of his closest friends, tended to Anzu. A friend that he knew for years, Honda was one of the many people Yami could trust and count on. While he and Jounouchi chose the law enforcement field, Honda wanted to study in the field of medicine. He always had a passion to help out the sick and injured. Yami was relieved to know that Honda had came with the other medic team. With him, he could get the whole story and all of the answers he needed regarding to how Anzu was doing.

Jounouchi came over to stand beside him, watching Honda continuing his examination. He could sense that his friend wanted to say something, but as of now...he wasn't even sure if he was ready to talk.

"Crazy night, huh?"

Yami just huffed in agreement, it truly had been crazy. And maybe 'crazy' was more of an understatement to describe how the night turned out.

"You know...not shooting Nakashima was a wise choice, man. You did the right thing by stopping yourself."

That wasn't true. He stopped himself, yes...but not on his own. The urge to kill Kentaro was so strong that he wasn't able to free himself from the bloodthirsty crave. At that time, it didn't seem like a bad thing. The built up rage whenever Yami saw his face was simply unspeakable. To have the chance to remove the irritating thorn would have been a pleasure for him. But when he saw those eyes...those superlative eyes begging him not to go through with it, Yami just could not proceed with his original plan. No one may have realized it, but _she _stopped him. A part of him would always feel grateful to her for that. He didn't want to turn into Kentaro. He didn't want to have someone's blood on his hands - whether it be intentional or by accident.

Honda grabbed his attention when he began to walk over. "She's okay, she just has some dulling pain around her neck area. I gave her a cooling compressor to help, but there's no sign of poison intake or any other life threatening affects to worry about."

It felt so good to have the flow of relief spread through his body. He intervened and stopped Kentaro just in time. "Thank you, Honda."

He excused himself, leaving both of his friends to talk amongst themselves as he went over to check on Anzu for himself. He wasn't sure how things between them would go, but he was going to do everything he can to make her see that he was of no threat. He stooped down next to her, succeeding in getting her to notice his presence. To his surprise, she did not glare at him, but there still wasn't a reaction either. _So far, so good. _

"I hear you're doing pretty well. I am happy that no harm has befallen on you," he said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," she muttered, "compared to the guy who was just _killed_ and all of the other lives Kentaro ruined...a sore neck is nothing."

Yami saw this coming. He knew that Anzu was putting up a front, but inside...she was downright terrified. So much was exposed to her tonight, she was the key witness to put Kentaro behind bars for life. The evidence found would be able to fill the missing gaps and with Anzu's statement, it would completely close the case.

He knew he had a job to do, but he just couldn't do that to her. Everything was still fresh in her mind and she needed to compose herself.

"I know this has been a horrific experience for you. So, I'm not going to pressure you into answering any questions right now, Anzu-san."

Anzu scoffed, taking the chance to meet Yami's stare. His eyes were back to their original amethyst shade once again. The crimson had completely vanished out of his irises. "Really...you didn't have a problem with pressuring me tonight. You remember, don't you? I'm certain with your kind of mind, it's impossible to forget something like that."

"No...you're right. It was not my place and I've stepped over boundaries that were not meant to be crossed. Please forgive me, I truly apologize for upsetting you. None of it was intentional."

She took the compressor away from her neck and pondered for a moment. Why was this man so..._sensitive_ with her? For everything she says and does, he is interested in it all. Even if she were to call him every terrible name in the book, he would only smile and brush it off as if it was no big deal. He was a very strange guy.

Giving a sigh didn't ease away her jittery nerves or help her to figure out this complex detective. "All I want to do is leave this place and to forget that I ever stepped foot in here."

She heard him get up from his spot next to her, only to see him offering his hand out to her. "I know that I'm not your favorite person, but just know that you can trust me...for anything."

It wasn't the first time someone has given Anzu a reason to trust them, only to hurt her in the end. Ronin was the prime example. She placed all of her trust in him and pain was what she got in return. "How can I trust you? How do I know you won't betray me if I let my guard down?"

Yami smiled, genuinely understanding more about her now. His assumptions were correct, there truly was something that was hurting her deeply. "All I can say to you...is to have faith in your heart. Because if you don't trust anything or anyone else in this world, you can always count on your heart to show you the way."

Despite the knowledge of Yami being a cop, Anzu wanted to believe him. Even when she vowed to never trust another policeman again because of Ronin. By doing this, would she either be making a huge mistake...or would she find the friend that she needs within this man? She was hesitant to take his hand. Taking it meant that she was taking him into her life. The stories and the details of her past were not open to _anyone_.

But...it didn't hurt to have someone to talk to. Being alone was okay every now and then, but it got to her most of the time, too. She missed having friends to talk to. Miyuki and Toshiro were always there when she needed to vent about something. Especially, when it involved another mishap with her husband.

So, could she trust this man? It was uncertain to know that for sure. However...would it be so wrong to, at least, _try_?

And with that, Anzu slowly allowed her hand to drop into Yami's outstretched one, feeling the gentle grip as their hands closed together.

* * *

_A/N:_ Chapter finished for now, thank you all for reading. Now that Anzu is considering on trusting Yami, what do you believe will transpire next? Will it be the beginning of a new friendship between them...or will Anzu regret her decision? Only the upcoming chapters will have the answers. So, please review and tell me what you thought. I will update more very soon, Moon signing off.


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